Spring break and all of its rum-soaked, beach-bashing, snow-bunny glory is finally here. Nine whole days of pure downtime.

For some, spring break is about escaping the snow and sub-zero temperatures to go in search of warmer climates. For others, it’s about finding even more snow.

“For spring break, I’m going down to Salt Lake City, Utah [to] do some skiing,” said Kelsie Dyell, a senior viticulture and enology major.

I love ski vacations. To quote a famous blonde, “the cold never bothered me anyway.” If there are good times and plenty of good stuff to drink, then I support whatever occasion gets me there. I was curious, so I asked Dyell what her booze plans were for her ski trip.

“Definitely red wine,” Dyell said, “Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot … over dinner and by the fireplace.”

Moscow local Simone Cox, a waitress at the Moscow Alehouse, will stay here in the wonderful wintry icescape of the Palouse during this year’s spring break. I must say, the great thing about local folk who don’t participate in wet t-shirt contests or keg stands on the beaches of Cozumel or Panama City is that they are inventive. No matter where they are, they will create a drink worthy to toast the day.

Simone is no exception. I asked what her drink of choice is, to which she heartily replied, “a Moscow Mule.” But she has a new kind of twist that she throws into the cocktail shaker that she would definitely recommend.

“I didn’t have any ginger beer, so I just put a bunch of ice in a cup, some lemon juice, vodka and ginger kombucha,” Cox said.

Kombucha, I learned, is a fermented tea. It’s definitely different, I’ll give her that, but I won’t knock it until I try it. I shall drink with Cox one day and I’ll have to try her Moscow Kombucha Mule.

What’s even better than a week off of school working on your tan is celebrating the holiest and most treasured drinking holiday in the land, Saint Patrick’s Day. That’s right, on March 17, everyone dons their green tutus, bowler hats and the occasional kilt as they head to bars, pubs and lounges of all sizes for the annual celebration of Irish heritage, culture, and of course, drinking.

To celebrate this year’s festivities, I will do something relatively unprecedented during my tenure here at WSU. I shall raise a glass at every bar in Pullman in a single, Irish-jigging night. It will be a grand evening with good friends, good beer and no shortage of Irish spirit.

All that said, I certainly hope everyone has a safe and fun spring break, and an even better Saint Patrick’s Day. I need each and every one of you back in Pullman so I may tip a glass, or six, with you on March 17.

Cheers to you, ya drunken bastards, and bottoms up.