By 10:30am there was already a sea of green on the field, with more students walking up Lovelock Ave to join the party.
Some students said their day-long drinking session at 4am, and they had a long way to go.
‘‘Beer with breakfast, we’ve been up since 4:30am, let’s go,’’ one student said.
Despite the early start, many planned to head to the notorious Lake House flat in Butts Rd tonight which was hosting a party.
St Patrick’s Day is one of Dunedin’s biggest student events and this year attracted plenty of travellers from the likes of Christchurch and Nelson.
Regarding their message to the older generation of Dunedin locals, students said tolerance was key.
University of Otago Proctor Dave Scott said the priority of the day was "ensuring safety for the students and the public.’’
