NOTE: For Unofficial 2010, please see our updated post
Unofficial is a holiday at the University of Illinois that students celebrate 1-2 weeks before St. Patrick’s Day. Created because St. Patrick’s Day often falls during Spring Break, it is a celebration that closely resembles St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in other cities: green clothing, green beer, and greetings of “top of the morning to ye’.”
The date of Unofficial 2009 will be March 6, 2009.
Recently, Unofficial celebrations have taken on a negative connotation. As Urban Dictionary puts it, “The day is marked by bars opening at 8 in the morning, kegs on front lawns, students from nearly all surrounding schools flooding the campus to celebrate by drinking obscene amounts of alcohol. It has been said that more drinking occurs on Unofficial at U of I than occurs at many other school’s entire years.”
Every year the issue becomes a hot-button issue on the Illinois campus around mid-Febuary as the holiday approaches. Everyone has an opinion:
The News-Gazette: Unofficial Stories
The News-Gazette: Unofficial-ly Live – Not just the Irish Illini
The Online Gargoyle: Unofficial
The Daily Illini Letters to the Editor: Unofficial needs changes
The Daily Illini Letters to the Editor: Students should devote less energy to Unofficial
The Daily Illini Letters to the Editor: Unofficial promoter is disrespecting Irish culture
Be sure to check back here for more information regarding Unofficial, including an interview with the Irish Illini and an Unofficial Resource guide.
Image courtesy Musebrarian (Creative Commons License).
March 1st, 2009 at 10:49 pm
I’m curious to know about the laws pertaining to police “entry” to private property. i.e. what circumstances allows a police officer legal entry to private property (like house parties, apts, etc)?
specific cases:
1. Obviously a party inside the apt; police knocks on door and someone opens it; can the policeman come inside?
2. At a house party, people are playing bags outside, people standing in the “yard”; policeman drives by; can he issue tickets for any of those public-type tickets (like public intox, consumption, etc) ?
please blog on this and let us know!
March 2nd, 2009 at 8:07 pm
It’s all about probable cause, if they see anything like a beer can or smell it they may have the right to search. Good Vid on youtube about your rights
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA