Super Bowl Sunday means two things to most of us this year: another home team in a championship bout, and an awesome excuse to party.
planning how to maximize your Super Bowl experience might be a little trickier than you'd think. Although most options involve the standard components - beer, wings, the biggest TV possible - there are quite a few different scenes to consider.
First: How hardcore of a football fan are you? If you need to obsess over every stat that crosses the screen and sometimes want to turn into Ray Lewis on anyone who distracts you from the game, then a big party may not be the way to go.
You might end up surrounded by people who think a tight end is what Tom Brady has, are rooting for the team with the prettier uniforms, or are only there to see if this year's halftime will be half as entertaining as 2004 (not likely).
If this sounds like your worst nightmare, keep it small - just you, a few friends who are equally as obsessive, and a moderate order from Wing Works. Plus, this way you won't have to share your beer.
"Definitely a small party," sophomore Patriots fan Dan Rogers said of his plans for Sunday. "There are fewer distractions that way. Also, there should only be Pats fans there."
The consensus around campus is that the Super Bowl is best enjoyed with a small group of friends. If you don't have friends, don't worry, you have Joe Buck. He'll do enough talking to make up for a whole crowd of friends.
For those of you who don't mind watching the game amid chaos, track down a more energetic scene and enjoy the perks of a big, rowdy party.
Speaking of rowdy, most of the fraternity houses are going all-out with huge TVs, couches on risers, enough wings to feed a Third World country, and entertainment. These exclusive celebrations are generally just for the brothers and new pledges, so if you were too lazy or apathetic to rush (or are female) - check around to see if anything's happening at a friend's off-campus house.
If you don't mind shelling out six bucks per beer, head downtown or to Davis Square to a sports bar. It may be a little impersonal, but you won't have to walk back and forth to the fridge for drinks and you'll be surrounded by TVs.
To get even further away from campus, there's the most adventurous option: road trip. Never mind that Jacksonville is really far away and not exactly a tourist attraction. It'll be warm. Go for it, we're right behind you. Seriously.
If you just don't feel like watching this year, then dare to be different and boycott the Super Bowl. But good luck finding someone to chill with, because chances are everyone else will be watching the game, or at least the commercials.
Although there may be a plethora of options for in-game partying, the plans for after the game are pretty predictable.
If the Pats win, there will be a riot. If the Pats lose, there may still be a riot. Certainly nothing will compare to what happened after the World Series, but expect nothing less from Bostonians.
And it would be nice to see all the cars remain upright in the city for a change. But regardless, the post-game antics are always worth checking out. If you don't feel like braving the T to join the crowd downtown, check to see if anything's happening on campus or have a mini-riot in your dorm room. Just remember that if you break something there, it's probably yours.
So whether or not you enjoy the game itself, take advantage of a day that will hopefully offer great football, but should be a great time either way.
