7 Moments To Sum Up My Mardi Gras | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Featured

7 Moments To Sum Up My Mardi Gras

My experience with NOLA in a nutshell!

907
7 Moments To Sum Up My Mardi Gras
Bourbon Street - Palak Patel

Beads, Bourbon Street and Beignets - it's that time of the year where the biggest parade in New Orleans takes place; Mardi Gras! This festival is a giant booze fest with top-notch parade shows, lots of beads and a guaranteed good time with your pals (pretty much a large-scale Gasparilla, minus the pirates). I had the chance to attend this festival at the beginning of March, and it was the perfect start to my spring break. Here is a list of my favorite highlights as a first-timer at Mardi Gras.

1. "I want you to have my beads" - drunk men

I had about 10-15 guys come up to me to give me their beads, or trade one of my beads for theirs. During the first two or three times, I thought it was a friendly thing to do. But as time went on and the comments started to turn flirty, I quickly realized that these men were using beads as a courting technique. After that, I couldn't help but laugh at their odd attempts. Hey, I mean the goal is to get beads, so this is fair game, right?

2. Getting hit in the head with flying beads

It hurts really badly. I looked away from the parade for half a second and I get pegged in the head with a giant quart-sized Ziploc bag filled with plastic beads. It may seem like it's not much, but when its chucked at you at high speed, it's a woozy headbanger. I quickly learned to either seek shelter or to catch the beads if I wanted to avoid getting a concussion.

3. Best. Fried. Chicken. I've. EVER. Had.

When I say best I've had, I mean THE best I've had. It was the perfect amount of crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside, with finger-licking good seasoning. My go-to fried chicken in Gainesville is from Publix, believe it or not (I've yet to find a real fried chicken place). But, NOLA really blew it out of the parade park with this iconic southern staple.

4. Drunk girls = best gal pals

No matter what city you're in or the occasion, drunk girls are universally the best party people. Whether it's complimenting you on your outfit or taking care of you after a long night of drinking, drunk girls are there for you in any and all situations. During Mardi Gras, many girls were watching out for me and my friends, helping me out with directions, started conversations about literally anything and made my day with sweet compliments. In a nutshell, girl power for the win.

5. Beignets are to die for

These heavenly decadent, honey-glazed and coated in powdered sugar, fried goodness are a must-have when in NOLA! The closest thing I can compare it to is a donut with powdered sugar, except not as dense. Pair these beignet bad boys with a cup of hot café au lait, and you've got yourself a treat! The best location to try it at is Café du Monde at Jackson Square (the original location).

6. Jammin' to jazz

NOLA is known as the birthplace of jazz music. It was the perfect place to stroll around while enjoying some soulful street music. The rich culture and history of jazz were seen in the artwork and the sweet tunes around the city. As an avid jazz fan, I was in music heaven.

7. Colorful cottages make for great photo ops

The city was so beautiful and vibrant. Each street in downtown was filled with rows of colorful buildings, which made for uniquely different cottages. With cobblestone streets, second-floor balconies and a range of hues, the streets of downtown NOLA were nothing but a beautiful sight. This view made for an amazing backdrop for fun pictures and silly Boomerangs with my friends!

Report this Content
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

164243
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

50654
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

45216
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments