Here Comes State Patty’s Day
February 19, 2010 at 9:59 am Ryan Jones 6 comments
A week from tomorrow, thousands of Penn State students (and more than a few alumni) will celebrate what has become the University’s newest — and most controversial — tradition: State Patty’s Day. Started by students a few years ago as a sort of replacement holiday after St. Patrick’s Day fell during Penn State’s spring break, “State” Patty’s Day has quickly evolved into a raucous and popular holiday of its own. But its popularity is hardly universal.
As a Penn State alum, I can understand the sense of pride in an event that’s exclusive to your school — in that, State Patty’s Day is similar to THON or the Beaver Stadium student section, something students at other colleges can envy. Where State Patty’s Day differs, of course, is the impact it has on the community, and as a taxpayer and father of young children, I’m not a fan of the costs — in terms of property crimes and extra police and emergency workers — or the spike in arrests and ER trips associated with what is, for many, nothing more than an excuse for a green-clad, day-long drinking binge.
Lately, the controversy has generated a lot of discussion — and maybe even some action. The University Park Undergraduate Association has joined other student groups in promoting a “Safe and Responsible Actions” pledge to encourage safer, smarter partying on State Patty’s Day. Some are going further: Dennis Shea, the head of the health policy and administration department in the College of Health & Human Development, is calling on fellow faculty to work toward stopping the event altogether. He told the Daily Collegian about one local resident whose church postponed a fundraising event scheduled for State Patty’s Day because its members were afraid to go downtown.
Inevitably, the conversation is active online — there are competing Facebook groups for and against State Patty’s Day. If nothing else, I hope the discussion helps temper the worst aspects of what is, for better or worse, a very visible part of Penn State student life.
Ryan Jones, senior editor
Entry filed under: Campus issues, College of Health & Human Development, Controversy, Undergraduate students, University Park campus. Tags: Daily Collegian, Dennis Shea, Facebook, State Patty's Day, UPUA.
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1. Sally | February 19, 2010 at 12:08 pm
I find it hard to believe that there are local residents who are afraid to go downtown on State Patty’s Day. I graduated in 09, and for State Patty’s Day last year I was living downtown and I felt perfectly safe. Sure, you could tell that more people were drinking during the day and there were definitely more people wearing green shirts, but the atmosphere felt the same as a home football game — not more rowdy, and certainly not more dangerous.
I know that there were 311 police calls last year, but my impression is that those few hundred people drank more heavily than they normally would. I don’t think it’s the case that a significant portion of the university is drinking when they otherwise wouldn’t have — it’s just that those who would have already been drinking anyway decided to hit the bottle a little heavier, which comes with consequences.
In any case, if there is a major backlash against this holiday, the best solution would be to try to combat student drinking as a whole — not just during one day in March. The problem isn’t contained in this one day; it is contained in the social habits of the students. If you take this day away, they will simply create another one, for another arbitrary reason. We were awarded the #1 Party School title for nothing.
2. Sally | February 19, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Sorry, that should have ended with “We weren’t awarded the #1 Party School title for nothing.”
3. Jake | February 23, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I agree with Sally. I cant believe there are people that are afraid of a bunch of us drunks. And if they really are afraid they SHOULD stay out of downtown that day. This town belongs to us. It wouldn’t be here if we didn’t come to school here, so we should have at least one day when we can do anything we want.
Same goes for senior week after finals in the spring. An older person I know was complaining that during that week he had to drop off a suit in town and a bar tour pounded on his car and walked across the hood just becuase the light was green I told him that’s what he gets for coming into town during that time. He said it didn’t matter, because he told the police, but they told him there was nothing they can do about it — nothing they can do about it. If the police won’t do anything then a bunch of wimpy local-yocals don’t have a chance. So let’s party on and set some records in 2010.
By the way, good luck seeing local businesses to pitch in to stop it. McLanahan’s, one of their biggest, merchants, are selling cool State Patty Day shirts at their Penn State Room. — I got mine, do you?
4. Adam | February 23, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Wow Jake that is some controversial talk right there. This town isn’t just for us students people live here, and raise families here. It is true the town wouldn’t be the same without us students, but that doesn’t mean you can treat its citizens however you want. You forget that this town also makes the university possible. If students continue to act like you do maybe some of the great professors we have here will decide that this town isn’t a great place for their children and move to another college.
Some day you will grow up and I bet you would feel the same as the locals here.
5. Sally | February 23, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I agree with Adam. I grew up about 60 miles west of state college, so I don’t count as a townie but I had the experience of growing up in “nittany lion country” and I think the town plays a profound role in the university’s livelihood. My initial post was just pointing out that some of the state patty’s day perceptions are too extreme, and that the core of the problem lies in penn state student culture and not in the holiday.
6. Brian | March 4, 2011 at 4:38 pm
As a 1993 graduate, this juvenile behavior makes me embarrassed to say I’m a Penn Stater. You are bringing shame upon the university. If it was just about harmless fun, that’s one thing; but it’s not harmless fun, as reflected in the arrests. And Jake, you need to grow up, now – your comments are disgusting. Future students need to take some pride and practice some common sense and do away with this “event.”