St. Patrick’s Day is one of the few days of the year where it’s socially acceptable to drink all day, party all night and wake up with a pounding headache the next morning wondering where you got that giant bruise and when you got green paint in your hair. That does not mean that you have to do as the Irish do and only drink beer, though. There are some interesting options out there that will be sure to get the job done.

Not quite sure what all those festive concoctions actually contain? Read on as we reveal all!

initiating the gallery...

[Lead image via Bochkarev Photography/Shutterstock]

Happy almost St. Patrick’s Day! Will you be suiting up in your green tomorrow? I know I will be – I think I’m still scarred from the one time in elementary school that my classmates decided my shirt wasn’t green enough. Just in time for St. Patty’s Day, Guinness sent over an infographic with some crazy facts about the holiday of drunken debauchery. I have to say, I hadn’t ever really thought about how much beer is consumed on that one day. And the numbers are pretty mind boggling. Check it out, and tell us your St. Patrick’s day plans!

I’ve never celebrated St. Patrick’s Day (although I’m hoping to this year) but I love how, around this time, Pinterest and WeHeartIt are filled with cute pictures of green, four-leafed clover themed foods. Adorably decorated cupcakes, uniquely shaped vegetables and baked goods including quiche…can you tell I’m procrastinating? Regardless, whoever made these foods deserves an award because they have caught my eye. The St. Patrick’s Day themed school lunch makes me miss my mom’s homemade lunches from elementary school more than anything!

Check out these adorable St. Patrick’s Day foods…

Ashley is a freshman at George Washington University and she’s majoring in “Overanalyzing Situations” and International Affairs. Follow her on twitter @ashleybrooks25

[Lead image via Yanick Vallee /Shutterstock]

Meet Disney’s newest child star

One woman’s scavenger hunt to meet Bradley Cooper

Our red carpet faves from the 2011 Woodie Awards

Fashion challenge: boots with shorts!

I have post-traumatic dating disorder

Oh it’s cool to like Tiger Woods now…ooookay

This is the best thing to come out of St. Patrick’s Day

The funniest March Madness thing I’ve ever read

Should guns be allowed on campus?

Household health dangers that are prob in your apt.

With St. Patrick’s day just around the corner it’s important to start laying out the necessities. I mean you need to pick the right bars, the right outfit, the right crowd to hang out with. And not to mention, if you want to last all day, lay out some sort of day drinking plan. But have no fear, because your dear ol’ Irish pals at O’CollegeCandy always have your best interests at heart when it comes to a good party and plan on taking care of you!

So here’s our list of everything you need to have a St. Patrick’s Day that will make St. Patrick (whoever he was) proud.

The Perfect Outfit:
One of the most important things to remember about St. Patrick’s day is that there can be a thing as having too much green. You are not in grade school; it’s not cute to put your hair in braids and sprinkle it with green glitter. A little bit of green can go a long way, but there are a few things you should stay away from…well two in particular, green nails and green lips.

The perfect way to spice up your outfit is by adding hints of green, a green cardigan, a muted green dress with a black sweater over it, a green tank with your favorite jeans (maybe find a sequined one for some wow). There are tons of choices out there; pick one of these, and you’ll be good to go!

The Perfect Green Dish:
There are a couple of things I don’t like about green food, the major thing being the way it looks when it is leafy and stuck in your teeth. But in order to honor St. Pat the right way, there are some Irish dishes that absolutely need to make it into your belly today. Maybe not corned beef and cabbage (yuck?), but, trust me, there are a lot of options out there. Just be aware: green food coloring doesn’t wash away easily. Especially from your teeth.

The Perfect Bar:

St. Patrick’s day is NOT a classy holiday, that is one of the reasons college kids swarm local bars for a little bump and grind and some green bear. Am I right? But it is important to choose the bar wisely. No one wants to end up at a dead bar on St. Patrick’s day (although if you find one, I think you should win a prize). If you are feeling daring, scope out some of the Irish pubs in your nearest city, if you want to stick close to school then see if your local bar is doing some kind of fun St. Patty’s day themed night. Not matter what, as long as a little green beer is involved, you are sure to have a blast.

The Perfect Crowd:
This one is easier said then done. Since most people go out on St. Paddy’s day to get trashed (just trying to be real), it’s important to have a DD if you are going somewhere. But you also need to find  someone who doesn’t mind being sober when everyone around them is drunk. Make sure to also bring along that super generous-when-drunk guy to buy you drinks and, of course, your favorite lady friends who are always down for a mid-day dance party (or Irish Jig).

The Perfect Irish Inspired Hook Up:
Well, if you are attached this won’t be too much of a problem for you, but if you are single…be prepared for swarms of guys to attack you with their charm. Or their drunken confidence and (what they think is a) swagger. But how to pick the right one? Make sure to find the one you think is the most attractive when you are sober and stick close to him for the night. If you can’t find one, ask your BIFFs to help you located a winner. Oh, and make sure to do a friend check before you leave the bar with your Irish stud.

Look, it’s not hard to have a good St. Paddy’s day. So long as you have good drinks and amazing company your holiest of holy college holidays will be splendid. But if you are lacking either, make sure to follow my advice and hit up a party/bar ASAP to make some new friends while the green beer is a’ flowing.

I’ve always been a big fan of St. Patrick’s Day, and not just because I’m Irish. There’s so much about it to love: beer, Irish whiskey, corned beef and cabbage, parades, and just the general merry feel to the whole day. Plus, green has always been one of my favorite colors, so seeing it everywhere for a day just puts me in a good mood.

Dressing for St. Patrick’s Day can be fun, but can often times border on tacky. Luckily, there are lots of great green clothing items out there that are festive enough to keep you from getting pinched but you can wear long after St. Patrick’s Day is over! What’s even better, all of these pieces are less than $20 — and there’s not a shamrock in sight!

You’ve got a big day planned: 7am bloody marys, 9am flip cup tourny, a burrito break, then lots and lots of green beer. 18 hours of boozing? Psssssh. It may sound like a lot, but you’ve been training for a day like this since you stepped foot on campus.

You set your alarm for 6 a.m. then run around the house screaming at your roommates to get out of bed.

“It’s party time! Get up!” You turn on all the lights, bump your iTunes and head down to the kitchen for a power breakfast. You search for the carbiest things you can find, then shove a half frozen bagel into your mouth and wash it down with some OJ, the only non-alcoholic beverage you will have for the day. You don’t have time for chewing; you have an outfit to pick out.

Once your stomach is good and coated you head back to your room to prepare for the day.

Appropriate drinking outfit? Check.
ID? Check.
Camera? Check.
Small flask that fits into your purse but can still get past campus security? Cheeeck.

You head back downstairs and begin mixing cocktails for the roommates. Slowly, they make their way to the kitchen where you are waiting for them, drinks in hand.

After everyone’s buzz has been kick-started (thanks to your force feeding), you take some much-needed selfies then head out into the sea of green. Once you reach your first destination of the day, the drinks come quickly: shots of Captain’s straight from the bottle, cans of Keystone straight from the funnel, and 2 games of flip cup…all before 10 am.

You’re feeling good, like a rock star.

“I LOVE DAY DRINKING!” You scream. “This party’s goin’ all. night. long!”

As you make your way from friend to friend, you do your part to make sure everyone is drinking as much as you. After all, you are a day drinking champion and everyone else should be able to handle it, too.

“DRINK, PUSSY!” You shove your half-empty beer can in some guy’s face. “There is no sobriety on this sacred holiday!”

You spend the next hour cycling between games of flip cup, trips to the bathroom (because you broke the seal too early), and hazing your friends into drinking more. Oh, and who can forget, taking lots and lots of pictures. Mostly of you and one of many alcoholic beverages.

Eventually it’s time to head out to party number 2. You throw your last beer can onto the ground, hop on some boy’s back and head out. “To State Street!” you scream, before smacking him in the ass to get him moving. Sure, you’re wasted, but that’s the point; the day has only just begun.

You’re about 100 yards down the street when those early morning decisions hit you. Like a truck. You hop off his back and – what? – why is the ground swaying? Are you on a boat? And who stuck the giant cotton ball in your mouth?

You trip onto sit down on the curb and then the spins begin. It’s only about another 3 minutes before you are calling a friend and begging her to walk to home. You stuff your face with a Jimmy John’s Turkey Tom (no sprouts) on the stumble trek back to your place, then climb into bed fully clothed and pass out (with a garbage can nearby) all before 1 p.m.

You wake up a few hours later, chug a bottle of water and then get back into bed. Your roommates try to rouse you to join them for the night’s festivities, but the thought of alcohol gives you the chills.

—

You were too quick out of the gates, my friend. But it’s OK – we’ve all been there.
Day drinking’s a bitch. There aren’t many people who can keep it goin’ all night long.

With just a week away from one of my personal favorite “holidays,” it’s time to start digging through our wardrobes looking for that pot of gold, otherwise known as green clothing to wear on St. Patrick’s Day. If you don’t wear green on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to stock up on a few things now so you don’t give drunk frat boys a reason to pinch you. (Unless you’re into that sort of thing…)

Lucky for you there are lots of pretty green items to add your your wardrobe for the occasion. Whether you’re celebrating with the gang at your local Irish pub, or hiding in the library trying to avoid the drunks, green is not only festive, but it adds a pop of color to your look on St. Paddy’s day and beyond! For those not wanting to commit to a full green dress, an accessory (note: NOT the shamrock headband thingies) is an easy way to add a touch of color, without being dressed head to toe like a leprechaun.

Ready to do St. Pat’s in style? Here are 15 festive pieces to get you started.

And remember, if you want to honor St. Pat the right way, there are a few rules you gotta follow.

So with Mardi Gras/Spring Break/St. Patties day just around the corner, I think it’s time to give you all a refresher course in some of the Do’s and Don’ts of day time drinking:

Do: Have an 8 AM mimosa. It’s a holiday, and mama taught this girl to celebrate holidays with mimosas in the morning and straight champagne at night. What can I say…I’m classy. Just make sure to have some eggs with your classy drink, or you won’t be helping your go-all-day-without-vomiting pledge.

Don’t: Do a keg stand at 8 AM. You want to last the whole day, right? Well, you don’t start off the day with the finale! So do as I do and save the keg stand for the evening hours.

Do: Carbo load. To the extreme! It’s important to get as much solid food in you as you can while you still know what you are eating. Not only will having more food in your stomach let you go longer, but it will make for a less obnoxious morning after. You know what mornings I’m talking about…where even your hair hurts and your roommate getting up for her 6 AM jog is reason enough to kill her.

Don’t: Put green food coloring in your beer. I don’t care how much money it saves you, just don’t. Well, I mean unless you think having green teeth for 2+ days after St. Patties day is a good look. Then by all means, go ahead, drink up.

Do: Set a spending limit for drinks. It’s important not to blow all your money on a weekend of drinking. So set a limit for yourself and just bring that amount of cash. Leave your debit/credit at home, I repeat, LEAVE YOUR PLASTIC AT HOME!

Don’t: Starve yourself! Eat throughout the day. Pretzels are good for soaking up alcohol and so is any kind of bread. If you don’t eat, you won’t make it past brunch and what’s the point of day drinking if you don’t even make it to the actual “day” part?

Do: Stick to one form of alcohol. No matter how delicious that Jameson shot looks (God, you must be hammered already if that looks appealing), fight the urge to switch to the hard stuff. We all know that’s not gonna end well.

Don’t: Try to keep up with your friends. Everyone has a different alcohol limit, and there is no point in getting wasted by noon just to keep up. Pace yourself, and just remember people are always jealous of lightweights…think of all the money/calories you save!

Do: Drink water. especially if you are outside all day! Not only will alcohol dehydrate you, but so will the sun, so it’s important that you keep drinking water. By keeping a filled bottle of water on you while enjoying your day drinking games, it will help you last for the whole day. Just make sure to alternate sooner rather than later. And remember it is okay to take a break!

Don’t: Pull an all-nighter before your day of drinking. This is day drinking, not day napping, people.

Remember, if you are having an all day drinking event do not drink and drive. At all. It’s just stupid. But other than that, have fun and hopefully (if you follow this list) you’ll be able to be the last (wo)man standing!

So St. Paddy’s Day 2010 has come and gone and if the giant foam hat I discovered in my bed this morning (that I don’t even remember wearing…) is any indication, the day was a huge success. Not a success: my brand new pillow cases that are now permanently printed with glittery green shamrocks that were once adorning my cheeks.

But, yeah, yesterday was awesome. Epic. “BEST DAY EVER!” At least that was the case, say, eight hours ago when I was doing the Irish Jig and clicking my heels on the way to Taco Bell for a few late night Crunch Wrap Supremes.  However, post-day St. Paddy’s, when I’m feeling green instead of wearing green, isn’t giving me that loving feeling.

Does anyone else feel like even water doesn’t taste good this morning?  Yeah, you can thank the Irish Car Bombs for that one.

If only I had remembered this feeling 3 days ago when I was counting down the hours to St. Patrick’s day via my Facebook profile and gushing about all the beauty this religious holiday has to offer. When I was scrambling to finish up my Thursday reading so I could spend 12 hours drinking in peace. When I was putting together the perfect green outfit, undies and all. When my friends and I were scoping out the drink specials at every bar on campus. Honestly, since the minute I turned 21, I transformed into a (figuratively Irish) St. Paddy’s Day pro-party planner/green beer extraordinaire.

But as the next day taps me on the shoulder, I realize I have Irish-jigged myself into a green mess.

Yes, this morning has been brutal. I woke up at 8am for class and thanked god I didn’t choke to death in my sleep from the 13 shamrock necklaces around my neck. I removed them and stumbled to the bathroom where I realized that I failed to properly squirt contact fluid into my contact holder last night. And when I looked in the mirror and tried to scrub off what was left of the giant shamrock on my face, I learned that I hadn’t been to 2 bars like I once thought, but actually went to 6. So many, in fact, that the stamps were running up my arm.

I returned to my room to get dressed for the long (OMG it’s gonna be so long) day of classes, which now looked like a leprechaun’s clothing store. Somehow throughout the day I acquired quite the Irish wardrobe: foam hat, green aviators, shamrock antenna head band, a neon green wig, and (my personal favorite) a button that reads, “Want to see my lucky charms?”

Just looking at it all made my head hurt.

And now, with what feels like 12 little leprechaun’s banging on my skull, I have to go to class. In my glasses. With bar stamps up my arm.

Yeah, St. Paddy’s Day was a success, but I just hope someone will remind me of this feeling next February when I start my countdown to the greatest college holiday of the year.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go dump the green beer out of my Nalgene (true story) and fill it with some Blue Powerade for the long day ahead.