April showers bring May flowers, but what happens during the month of March? If you walk through the hallways of Farmer School of Business or around King Library, you would see students intensely studying for their upcoming midterm exams. Then once you pass those three people, you see the rest of the student body looking for spring break deals on Expedia.com, inspirational exercise quotes on Pinterest and Green Beer Day shirts on Facebook.
This is due to the fact that the upcoming month contains Spring Break, Green Beer Day, St. Patrick's Day (on a Saturday no less), as well as the beginning of the fraternity and sorority formal season. So as you all head to the Rec and the tanning beds, please remember some important things.
As Green Beer Day falls first on the calendar, I will begin there. A reminder to everyone, it is a marathon, not a sprint. For those of you over 21, when you head to the bars at 5 a.m., please remember to pace yourselves. You have an entire day; do not try to buy out the bar during the first go around. For those of you under 21, stay away from uptown. There is plenty to do without the trip up. Most of you will have two years to partake (if you only have one, blame your parents) so just enjoy the spectacle. For those of you who think you can outfox the authorities by passing yourselves off as 21-year-old alter egos, do not do it. It is not worth it for one day of green eggs. You will most likely be caught, and when you are, not only does the city of Oxford get involved but Miami University can also take action. The Police Beat is not a wall of fame.
Once you recover from Green Beer Day, it will be time to head out to the beaches or mountains. For those of you heading to the beaches, remember to lotion up. Most importantly, do not forget your feet! Last year, one of my close friends was unable to wear shoes for three-fourths of the week, because this person had forgotten to apply sunscreen. Do not get me wrong, the florescent tan we all get from the lights of McGuffey and Upham Halls are great, but do not help in the long run.
Do not worry; Ohio University's Spring Break does not begin until March 18, so you won't be running into any OU students, and will not have to worry about being hated for having a sub-par band (They performed in the Macy's Day Parade for Pete's sake!)
When you all return from Spring Break, do not fret about the end of the semester nearing. St. Patrick's Day is on the Saturday following our return to Miami. For those of you who have not heard of this holiday, it is the same as Green Beer Day, only the rest of the country celebrates as well.
So find those green beads and leprechaun hats and get back into the spirit. For those of you who are wondering just what you are celebrating, the holiday marks the death of St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to Ireland. According to St-Patricks-Day.com, he used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagans. The website also explains (here is that educational section I was talking about earlier) how after his death, his jawbone was preserved in a silver shrine, and kept for its healing powers.
As the Greek formal season rolls around, it goes without saying they can be both fun and frustrating. You just do not want to be the one to land your fraternity or sorority on probation or cause more negative stories to be written about Miami's Greek life. On a lighter note, enjoy the vacation with a group of your closest friends. Seniors, you do not have many more opportunities to do this sort of thing before, as some in the Business school say, W-2 world begins. From my experience, they create memories that will last a lifetime.
When March ends and the sunburns fade, I hope everyone remembers to prepare for those finals. "Fratlinberg" is fun but grades are even more important. Academic success at Miami will help make sure you can keep taking these fun vacations as you get older, and you will be able to go to beaches with even whiter sand and stay in even nicer hotels.
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