Congratulations! You have made it through the first months of the winter semester, which means it is officially the most wonderful time of the year! St. Patrick’s Day, otherwise known as “Laurier Christmas,” is the one day out of the school year (besides Homecoming) when it is perfectly acceptable and even encouraged to drink, drink and drink some more.
As many of us Golden Hawks are aware, Laurier is known for our famous St. Patrick’s Day celebrations — specifically the street party that occurs on Ezra Avenue. Between the array of festive outfits, the hectic day drinking and of course the night out, Mar. 17 has us ready to stumble.
Thus, here are the eight stages of celebrating St. Patrick’s Day I have gathered throughout my years as a Laurier student so far!
Editor’s Note: HCWLU doesn’t condone or encourage drinking on Ezra, but we acknowledge that students will be doing it anyway. Make sure you know your limit, get help if you need it and stay safe out there. If Ezra isn’t your thing, there’s lots of other things to do in Waterloo, St. Patrick’s Day or not!
Stage 1: Wake up – it’s time to drink!
St. Patrick’s Day comes around once a year, which means a good night’s sleep is unlikely if you want to experience 24 hours of drunken adventures. It is common knowledge that St. Paddy’s means an obnoxiously early wake up call. However, Golden Hawks are not ones to let that ruin a party. 8:30 classes? Hard pass. 8:30 beers? Sign me up!
That being said, feed yourselves people! You know the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”? It couldn’t apply more to a solid day of drinking. Whether it be eggs and bacon or a quick bowl of cereal, the key to a successful day of drinking is breakfast. The last thing you want is to be the girl who doesn’t make it out of the pre-game because you took too many shots on an empty stomach!
Stage 2: Get decked out
Nothing compares to the sea of green that floods the streets on the big day, so that means getting into the spirit! Get some cheap T-Shirts with your friends, or if that’s not your thing, accessories go a long way. Anything green or festive in nature works! Bring a portable drinking cup or a necklace shot glass and you are good to go!
Stage 3: The morning pre-game
You’ve got some breakfast in you and are all dressed for the day’s festivities — if you haven’t started drinking in the process of these two stages, now is the time to start. Whether you choose to pre-game at home with your close group of friends or attend some early morning keggers — the party has officially started and you’re likely feeling the onset of the Irish buzz. Stage 4: Ezra, Ezra, Ezra
At some point in your early morning drunken haze, your group of friends has been gathered and it is time to hit the streets. Most definitely the best part of the whole day is the street party on Ezra Ave. You’re likely at your peak drunken state at this point in the day. The crowds are enormous and partying with your fellow Golden Hawks is half of the fun. Between the speakers and beer pong tables all down the road, Ezra is guaranteed to be a good time — that is, if you make it there.
Don’t forget to snag a street picture or two for the memory bank and to stick with your friends, as it is extremely easy to get separated!
Stage 5: The mid-day slump
Normally occurring between the hours of 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. is what is known as the “mid-day slump.” This is when your chipper day drunk has turned into the “I need to eat something” and the “I need to take a nap” drunk. It is during the mid-day slump that many are refueling for the night’s events — this includes picking up food and taking a much-needed refresher nap.
Even though drinking the entire day can be fun (and a lot of people can manage) — the eat-and-sleep part of the day helps to re-energize so you’re not the cranky hungover one by 6:00 p.m.
Stage 6: Round two!
Eventually you resurface from your power nap and regroup with your friends (if they’re not already napping beside you). Depending on the events from the first half of the day, you’re either feeling better than you did when you went to sleep, hungover or still buzzed. Regardless, there is no time to spare — chug a water and do something with that bedhead, because it is time for round two!
Stage 7: The night out
Whether you choose to attend a party or, more commonly, the bar, Golden Hawks know that the celebrations have only just started. Even though there are a number of bars to choose from in the KW area, due to the overwhelming popularity of Laurier St. Paddy’s day they are packed to capacity early in the night, which means if you want to get in, I suggest arriving with your group early.
Lines are long and the bars themselves can be hectic, however, there’s nothing better than ending a day-long event dancing at one of your favourite spots. It is definitely worth the mayhem!
Stage 8: The hangover haze
After a long day of partying, you fall asleep somewhere (couch, floor, bed — whichever you can make it to) in hopes that the following morning is kind to you. Likely though, everything is foggy, your mouth is drier than the Sahara Desert and your head feels like you got hit by a train. The last stage of the St. Paddy’s celebrations is the hangover haze.
Despite the aftereffect of the day before, brunch is always a favourable cure. Nothing goes down better than a big breakfast and copious amounts of coffee following the big day.
Wishing you all a memorable, but more importantly, safe St. Patrick’s Day! Remember to stay golden, look out for each other and above all: have fun!