Unofficial is Officially Dumb

And that's from an Irish chick. Anyone outside of CU is probably confused. UofI started celebrating Unofficial St. Patrick's Day several years ago...since actual St. Patrick's Day usually falls around Spring Break...and college kids need another reason to drink. This year they have expanded it into a 2-day event. Who is 'they' you might ask....business, mostly bar, owners.

And this year, the local newspaper is covering the action minute-by-minute!

It is so odd to drive in campus in February and see everyone dressed in green and lined up outside of bars at 11am. It is the stupidest thing I can think of for a college town to do....encourage college kids to binge drink...for 2 days. Many arrests, citations, illnesses (my hub is so excited to work this weekend!), and even death. And it continues...bringing kids from all over the Mid-west. I just don't get it.

The cities try to 'stop it' by placing special restrictions on bars and liquor stores, having more police and emergency presence, and asking professors to require sober attendance to class on Friday, any employee arriving at work under the influence will be strictly disciplined (as my many memos reminded me of this week).

I'd rather try to change the culture and stop the allure of public or private drunkenness by college students or anyone else for that matter. But what can I do about that....I still baffle people when they find out that I am a legal adult who does not drink alcohol.