When she came to MSU in 2009, Sheehan immediately noticed the difference between Irish and American customs for the day, which celebrates the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick, an Irish evangelist in the fourth century.

American tradition has made St. Patrick’s Day more about nights on the town and having a good time, she said. But the history behind the reason for celebrating remained to be seen by many students in East Lansing, who typically spend the holiday decorating themselves in all green by day and going out at night.

“I wanted it to be more of a tradition instead of making it just about having fun,” said Sheehan, who is the president of MSU’s Irish American Legal Society. “I love St. Patrick’s Day no matter where I am, but I wanted to bring more meaning to the holiday with more Irish culture and background.”

But the American tradition of going out and having a good time is not unknown to people in Ireland. Horticulture sophomore Aaron Lynn-Vogel, who studied abroad in Ireland during the fall of his freshman year, said the tradition of having a good time is taken even more seriously there, where crowds of people wander the streets at all hours of the night.

“They go pretty hard when it comes to celebrating,” he said. “It’s a significant part of their culture, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they could drink Americans under the table.”

But despite St. Patrick’s Day’s reputation as a holiday of crazy, good-time proportions, for some it serves to bring people closer.

No-preference sophomore Toni Damon, who celebrates St. Patrick’s Day by wearing all green and going out with friends, said she feels a sense of camaraderie with the people around her on the holiday.

“East Lansing comes together on St. Patrick’s Day,” she said. “We all come out to have a good time, and it brings friends closer together.”