By Audrey Roach
St. Patrick''s Day brings images of four-leaf clovers and leprechauns to mind, as well as people endowed with red hair.
But some redheads say non-redheads have misconceptions about the redheaded population.
'The main assumption about redheads is that they have a temper,' said Jill Rudy, professor of English.
Sarah Chapman, 21, a redheaded senior from Meridian, Idaho, majoring in community health, said people assume she''s wild and spunky because of her hair color.
Chapman said she hears the most comments about getting freckles easily and being sensitive to the sun, as well as the assumption she has a temper.
As the only child in her family with red hair, Chapman said it was a surprise to her parents because neither of them exhibits the trait.
Chapman said she has heard red hair tends to skip generations.
'In my case it proved to be true,' she said.
'Nobody ever meets me and thinks ''she must be boring,'' everybody assumes I''m feisty,' said red-headed Leah Pickren, 23, a senior from Boise, Idaho, majoring in the classics. Pickren admits she is feisty, but said it should not be everyone''s automatic assumption based on her hair color. Pickren said people also think she has a temper, which she does not.
'My favorite thing people say to me is ''your hair is red.''' Pickren said.
Pickren not only has red hair, but green eyes as well, thanks to her Irish and Scottish heritage. St. Patrick''s Day is one of Pickren''s favorite holidays.
'On St. Patrick''s day, people I don''t even know will wish me a happy day,' Pickren said.
One reason Pickren likes the holiday is because it''s a good excuse to celebrate her ancestral homeland.
One legend claims every person with red hair is a prince or princess of Atlantis.
According to the Web site www.redprince.net, Prince Idon of Mu discovered Atlantis just in time to move his people there and save them from destruction by a natural catastrophe.
The prince arrived to the island at sunset, and fell in love with the new land and the beauty of the red sky and clouds.
Prince Idon wanted to save the beauty of that moment for all generations to see, and his wish came true when the image was imprinted upon his own looks, according to the Web site.
From then on anytime someone looks at a redhead, they are seeing that first sunset in Atlantis.
According to www.globeandmail.com there are other superstitions about redheads. One is that red hair is unlucky, another is it is lucky to rub your hand on a redhead''s head and bees sting redheads more readily.
The Web site also mentions that redheads have historically been viewed as untrustworthy.
Red hair has a history of assumption and myth. But keep in mind that they are myths and shouldn''t be taken at face value. Take the time to get to know a redhead. You might be surprised what you discover.