"State Patty's Day" may have passed for Penn State students, but there's still an international holiday to come.

The real St. Patrick's Day would typically welcome back students on March 17, the first day of school after spring break, but this year many are having trouble deciding when to celebrate their Irish heritage.

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, no Mass can be held in honor of Saint Patrick during the Holy Week, which begins March 16. Catholic officials across the country have asked to move St. Patrick's Day celebrations to March 15, but individual cities might decide differently.

Samantha Dunn (sophomore-mathematics) said Americans, especially students, use the holiday simply for drinking.

"I feel like the only reason it really got its huge drinking appeal is because the Irish are known for drinking," she said. "Anyone can celebrate a holiday as long as they know what they're celebrating."

Dunn wasn't worried about celebrating the holiday again after State Patty's Day, claiming "you can never be too pooped to celebrate your heritage."

"I'm about 50 percent [Irish]," she said. "My great grandparents were from Ireland."

Dunn, whose older sister studied abroad in Ireland, said she was told the Irish celebrate just as crazily as Americans do.

"People think that [Irish] don't [celebrate]," she said. "But they go all out."

Over in Ireland, the residents have decided not to contradict Catholic officials and will be celebrating on March 15.

Though some cities, like Dublin and Philadelphia, have moved their parades to avoid clashing with Holy Week, other cities' bishops, like those in New York City and Boston, are using a hands-off approach, claiming the church has no involvement in planning civic celebrations.

Boston native Kelly Ricciuti (sophomore-accounting) has been to the city's famous St. Patrick's Day parade, which typically takes place the Sunday before the holiday. Despite the parade's coinciding with Palm Sunday this year, the schedule has not changed.

"It's a lot of fun. There's lots of Irish music, bagpipes, step dancing," she said. "And obviously, the Irish pubs are hopping."

Ricciuti also noted how many take advantage of the holiday for drinking.

"No one eats corned beef and cabbage any more. It's so sad," she said. "I think everyone just associates St. Patrick's Day with drinking and nothing else. The holiday really doesn't have any culture attached with it anymore, at least here at school."

As for her holiday plans, Ricciuti has yet to determine how she'll celebrate.

"I would like to go to the parade, but I don't know if we will be home for it," she said. "As of now, all I know is what my mom will be cooking for dinner."

Luckily for Irish-Catholics, a calendar conflict is a very rare event. The next time Holy Week will clash with St. Patrick's Day won't be until the year 2160.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.