By Josh Smith, Contributing Writer
Oh, the month of March; the month where many people wear green clothing, search for Lucky’s “Lucky Charms,” and sometimes, consume a little too much alcohol. It’s an interesting month that encompasses a vast amount of superstitions, more than any other month.
Most commonly, the month of March is widely known for St. Patrick’s Day. Just like Oct. 31 or Dec. 25, March 17 serves as a day of recognition and celebration, in this case of Saint Patrick, who was the patron saint of Ireland. From dressing in all green to searching for four-leaf clovers, many people characterize this day as the search for good luck. Those who search for this luck often believe in superstitions, which in many cases is the reason so many people will go to extreme lengths to stay lucky.
Perhaps one the most recognized superstitions in March began nearly 2,000 years ago. In 44 B.C., the powerful dictator of the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar, was assassinated. Before his death, a psychic informed him that he was in grave danger, and harm would come to him before the Ides of March, which in modern time is March 15. Caesar joked that this prophecy would not happen, but it did.
The Ides of March is also home to many other historic occurrences; the Samoan Cyclone of 1889, where over 200 U.S. and German sailors were killed in a horrific cyclone, the highest amount of rainfall recorded in a 24-hour timeframe in 1952: 73.62 inches, and the depletion of the ozone layer over the Northern Hemisphere reported by NASA in 1988, to name a few. Many of these unusual and, in some cases, petrifying occurrences that have happened on March 15 have left many people searching to maintain their personal luck.
Sean Kranske, a Writing and Rhetoric major, explains that he is adamant about avoiding bad luck. “I do not believe in many superstitions, but I never travel anywhere without my lucky penny,” Kranske said. “It could be in my bookbag, pocket, shoe, or wherever; I make sure I never leave home without it, at least in the month of March.”
Jalyn Bolyard, a Public Relations major, explains something that not only she does to battle superstitions, but what her entire family does as well. “My family has this weird tradition of putting pennies in window sills,” she said. “We’ve always done it, even when we’ve moved houses. The first thing we do is put pennies in the window sills.”
Whether you believe in superstitions or even the notion of luck, March is filled with a plethora of history, good and bad. Its rich history makes it one of the most interesting months of the year. Most importantly, the perception of March and good luck allows us to give excuses to the things we do that seem odd or uncanny to others.
