It’s the weekend before what is arguably the biggest and best day in the student calendar for anyone at a Liverpool university – St Patrick’s Day. It’s a 24 hour celebration that throws all morals and dignity out the window, and you know full that as much as you’ve mentally prepared yourself, you can’t escape the pure chaos that is bound to unfold in Concert Square.
Town will be packed out with a sea of green and white tops, students that have been drinking since 10am and a ridiculous amount of Baby Guinness, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Here’s everything you’ll need to know ahead of the big day, because whether it’s your first or last Paddy’s Day on Merseyside, you’ll need all of the luck of the Irish to get you through.
DO: Ditch the Full English and line your stomach with an Ulster Fry
If you’re a true St Paddy’s day warrior, the only right way to start off the day has to be with a traditional Ulster fry, courtesy of any Irish pals who will be willing to chef it up for you at 9am. We’re ditching the white toast for potato bread – no excuses when Smithdown Aldi provides the goods for a pound a packet. If you’re planning a whole day of drinking, you most definitely can’t skimp out on the white and black pudding combo, and of course you get bonus points if it’s washed down with a cold pint of Guinness, but that goes without saying.
DON’T: Forget your tickets for events – early bird gets the worm
If you’re planning on carrying on the festivities until the wee hours of the morning, my advice would be to venture out from town, down to The Wav or 24 Kitchen Street, with both venues holding events with super stacked lineups and a guaranteed good time. Whatever you do, don’t forget to snap up your tickets before the big day, just in case.
We all know The Raz wins the Oscar for a Monday student night out, but with the queue resonating pretty heavily with The Hunger Games, The Arts Club and BaaBar are also providing all your groovy tunes to end your night the best way. However, in true St Paddy’s fashion – Fitzgeralds and O’Sheas get my badge of honour and undying love and affection this Monday night because quite frankly, it would be rude not to pop in for a Baby Guinness or two.
DO: Keep the luck of the Irish on your side in a full green outfit
There’s absolutely no excuse for not going all out on your Paddy’s Day outfits every year. Whether you’re sparkly shamrock, football jersey or just full blown leprechaun this St Patrick’s, the number one golden rule has to be green!
I hate to break it to you, however, if you’re wearing a Kiss Me I’m Irish baby tee and you’re from the Midlands, maybe let’s stick to a rugby shirt and an oversized Guinness hat instead. Trust me, it avoids the awkward encounters from pretty much everybody in Celtic Corner that might be going in for a smooch on the night.
DO: Rehearse your lyrics to Tell Me Ma!
If this song isn’t already imprinted in your brain from last year, or this is your first St Patrick’s Day rodeo in the big smoke, then I don’t know what to tell you other than good luck. Take take it from me that learning this iconic song before will be the best thing since sliced (soda) bread – if you get what I’m trying to say. Nobody’s expecting a full blown riverdance from you, but it would be rude not to take part in belting the lyrics to a true classic on the day.
DON’T: Feel obliged to drink or go extremely over the top
For all my sober kings and queens out there – never fear, the St Paddy’s Day fairy is here. If you’re continuing Dry January and being clever and avoiding an awful hangover, or just don’t fancy getting blackout this Monday, that is totally and completely okay. Quite honestly, it’s pretty commendable.
You still get to partake in all the festivities and fun whilst still remembering it all and waking up fresh as a daisy the next morning. I also just have to say that zero per cent Guinness is in fact delicious, and despite student drinking culture being what it is, St Patricks’ isn’t just about who can chop a pint the fastest. You can spend the day celebrating Irish heritage and culture whilst it also being a pretty great excuse to skip your Monday lectures.
DO: Attempt to conquer Concert Square
Infamous on St Paddy’s for having the world’s longest toilet queues but the cities best craic – Concert Square is arguably a definite do, even if you do end up paying 20 quid for a double. If you’re braving town this year some top tips are try and get there bright and early, give SOHO and MODO a miss, and to keep hopping bars in hopes of finding a seat, or preferably some breathing room in any of the Irish pubs.
A little birdie told me that Woody’s are doing £3 pints until 2pm or if you’re a quick and easy type of person, then Black Rabbit are offering up six Baby Guinness shots for £6 – whatever floats your boat. You’ll gain ultimate trooper status for trying to tackle the Concert Square rush, so it’s worth it in the long run.
DON’T: Burn yourself out before the night has even begun
As much as me, you and the next person loves a good day drinking session – my number one top tip is to pace yourself and not crash out before the sun has even set. It’s easy to get caught up in all the excitement, but unless you’re planning on being hungover by 8pm, in your bed, with a questionable takeaway, a recuperation and power nap combo is the way forward. There’s no shame in stopping for a lie down and a snack halfway through, NGL.
Just remember that Paddy’s Day is a marathon, not a sprint, and literally nobody wants to wake up with an £80 Uber bill and 30 missed calls from your entire contacts list wondering why they received a drunk FaceTime call at 7pm. You’re stronger than you think, so don’t go too hard too early. Lock in!
DO: Make a game plan
Whether you’re on a two-man step or a 40 man crawl, if you’re not creating a basic route and meeting places throughout the day then you’re in for a rough ride. You’re gonna need a big team talk about which bars you’re hitting and avoiding and a solid, niche meeting spot so that if you split off from each other, you’re not running around aimlessly trying to spot your mate in a green shirt. Top tip is to allocate your meeting spot anywhere other than the middle of Concert Square.
Another life hack of the century is also the god send that is Find My Friends – this will come in clutch on the day, just trust me on that.
DON’T: Lose your friends, belongings or dignity
Being a student normally means we’ve quite literally all been in some strange predicaments on nights out. However, having a dead phone, on your own in the middle of quite literally the busiest day of the year in Liverpool is not enjoyable for anyone, and is bound to rain on your little green parade.
Town is destined to be busier than Liverpool ONE Primark on a Saturday morning, and it can sometimes be overwhelming and intense – so don’t hesitate to take breaks and keep your wits about you. Look after each other, your drinks and your things and you’ll be grand. It should go without saying but charge your phone, keep tabs on everybody you’re with, and know your limits divas. You’ll be rough on Tuesday regardless, but minimising the hangxiety will make it much more bearable.
DO: Cure your hangover with a Boojum
If you’ve not lost your Boojum virginity yet then shame on you, because you’re missing out and your life is about to be changed. When you think of Irish culture, a burrito from Boojum is literally in the dictionary as the definition of heritage.
Bold Street’s newest addition of Boojum is exactly where you need to be on Tuesday afternoon, nursing a sore head and a burrito brought over from Belfast itself. Their student deal of a burrito and a drink for less than a tenner is a game changer, and would be the only right way to wave farewell to St Patrick’s Day until next years return.
DON’T: Even think about attending your 9am the next day
Someone should start a petition to make the day after St Paddy’s a national holiday, just to give you the chance to nurse that horrific hangover. I feel like it’s common knowledge amongst lecturers that the start of this week will be like a ghost town, unless somehow you made it to your lecture without chunning on the 699.
Even if your parents or your bank account aren’t proud of you, just know that we are and your next drink is on us.
Don’t let this advice instil fear into you for St Paddy’s Day. It’s the best excuse to be knocking back VKs and White Claws at 10am and be on the vodka doubles before lunchtime. Your organs will be swimming in a mixture of Guinness and Jameson, which won’t make for a pretty hangover on the Tuesday morning but hey, it’s one day a year. Make the most of it!
