The do’s and don’ts of Mardi Gras break

Mardi Gras season is now in full swing. Beads are flying, beers are flowing and bodies are showing. Extravagantly decorated floats and masked marauders ride day and night, spreading the party as far north as Shreveport and as far south as Grand Isle. Nothing exemplifies the culture and tradition of Louisiana’s people better than this beloved holiday. It’s practically a rite of passage for young Louisianan children to be pummeled in the face with heaping plastic bags of beads.

As the rules of all universities dictate, with every holiday there is a break of equal and corresponding length. A precursor to the mother of all breaks, Spring Break, Mardi Gras break is basically just a shorter version, but that doesn’t mean we can’t all have fun. In honor of the safety and well-being of all you party people, here are a few do’s and don’ts to keep in mind during parade season.

First of all, the biggest and most important DO is to enjoy your time off. The whole state is practically shut down Monday and Tuesday, so have some fun. No school equals no stress. Have a paper to write? It can wait until Wednesday night. Big test coming up on Thursday or Friday?

You’re going to study the night before anyway, so stop lying to yourself. Live it up for these next couple of days. Hit the parades, catch some beads and celebrate the country’s most exclusive holiday, regardless if Alabama thinks they do it better. Another major DO is spend time with the people you’re close to. Mardi Gras is a celebration of culture and heritage, but more importantly, it’s a time where everyone stops what they’re doing and just enjoys the party. So why not party with the people that mean the most to you?

Next, one of the biggest Mardi Gras DON’TS is making yourself look stupid. Nobody wants to see you hooting and hollering, taking your shirt off while trying to outclass a five year old for a plastic sword. Kids are always going to haul in the best gear during every parade. It’s just an unspoken happening of Mardi Gras. Plus, you’ll be standing shirtless and defeated in a large crowd of people as that five year old triumphantly waves the sword from the shoulders of a much larger adult. That’s not a very good look on your part.

Another fat DON’T is to not push the limits of excess. I enjoy a wholesome, good time just as much as the next person, believe me. What I do not enjoy is the sight of another person nodding off in a ditch covered in empty Jell-O shot cups and plastic bead bags while I’m trying to take in a good parade. So, for the sake of simplicity, I’ll just say this, “know your limits.” You wouldn’t want to put you or anyone else in danger.

So, keep these things in mind whether you hit up New Orleans for a major Mardi Gras romp, or keep it simple in your hometown. Catch some beads, eat some king cake and have a safe and swell Mardi Gras.