Partying With A Purpose.

I really didn’t know what to write about this week. Normally I like to have an idea in my head by Monday, then post it sometime in the week before class. This week that didn’t happen, but I came up with an idea. I would like to share my experience at Penn State University this past weekend. A friend and I took the 4 hour journey out there for what PSU students like to call “State Patty’s Day.”  Similarly, Rutgers students have created a day in the semester popularly known as “Rutgersfest,” designated for all sorts of debauchery and excitement. This is not to say everyone engages themselves in these sorts of antics, but if you haven’t been living under a rock or hiding out in the back of the library during your time at Rutgers, you surely have at least seen the types of antic that go on.

Taking a step back and comparing the two “holidays,” I would have to say Rutgers students and “Rutgersfest” has more of a purpose. Here at Rutgers our day celebrate seems to have more meaning than just not studying for finals and giving New Brunswick and Rutgers Police Dept. something to do. Ours comes at the end of the semester when students need a day to let loose before finals. It helps everyone loosen and up and snap out of their classroom, textbook and “myrutgers” induced trance and get ready for finals.  Penn State created their celebration in 2007 when Saint Patty’s day, not to be confused with “State Patty’s day” fell during their spring break. What a bummer man! We can’t celebrate St. Patty’s day with our roommates and make a mess out of campus!? Yes we can, let’s make our own holiday before spring break where we can! There you have it. 5 years later and the tradition there still lives on bigger and bigger every year. The difference is State Patty’s day, for PSU students is all about drinking. There are not on campus events to celebrate. Simply put, the celebration celebrates celebrating (is that simply put?). The entire borough of State College, PA, which is where PSU is located, climbs into their bomb shelters from the early years, or purposely built for this event and doesn’t come out of hiding until the day after leaving the streets filled with students and the occasional parent that never grew up. The mayor of State College as well as the Police dept. HATE this holiday. This may be the reason why? Go on google and just search State Patty’s day, and you will find an array of similar articles as well.

Now I am sure the same goes for Rutgersfest, especially in this day of 4loko induced madness. But the overall fact is that I feel Rutgersfest has more of a purpose. It has events that offer enjoyment to those who do not want to drink and engage themselves in the debauchery. From the music to the Carnival atmosphere, there is something other than excessive drinking that Rutgers students can enjoy instead.  

I would like to say before anyone gets the wrong idea, I went purely for the life experience and social analysis of the event. To gain a life long, lasting experience to share with the grandchildren…and lastly to take a short well needed break from the reality of this intense semester at Rutgers. After witnessing the green jello wrestling, the sea of green shirted/face painted students carrying Vuvuzela’s I’m back, alive and refreshed ready to make some amazing podcasts! 

Hey Guys, keep your heads up and work hard, only 2 months until our day of Celebration!