How Will You Spend Today? Penn State University made Huffington Post’s list of ‘Most Irish Colleges’ in 2012 because they had their own early St. Patrick’s Day celebration, which had devolved into drunkenness and arrests. But efforts from the college and community the past several years have toned down ‘State Patty’s Day,’ which is held in late February. Alcohol sales are banned and bars and restaurants don’t serve alcohol for one day. Partying still continued in private apartments, but it was quieter and less of a draw for out-of-town drinkers. St. Patrick’s Day is a holiday that lends itself to college parties, pub crawls and day drinking. Initially, it was a celebration of the arrival of Christianity to Ireland brought by Saint Patrick. St. Patrick’s Day has a deeper meaning than green beer, green food, Irish pubs and leprechauns. Penn State has tried to tap back into the true meaning of St. Patrick’s Day through service work. After the weekend parties, some students volunteered to clean up. The university has also introduced other volunteer opportunities as a substitute for partying. Service work does help to reintroduce the idea that St. Patrick’s Day is not supposed to be about alcohol intoxication and debauchery but more about a celebration of change. In recovery you understand the concept of service work. For those college students who may not be in recovery, service work can be a valuable lesson. Are there colleges in your area making a St. Patrick’s Day difference? Tell us below or share your comments with us on Facebook. It is good to hear about colleges treating alcohol properly as a drug.
