On Sunday evening, students across campus gathered to watch the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Festivities across campus varied, with some students having organized watch-parties in dorms, and others playing the game in the background as they worked.
Sarah Healy ’24 celebrated the game in true Super Bowl style. She and her friends gathered in her Babbitt suite to watch the game on their TV: “One of my suitemates, Sae, made bean dip and we watched on the TV on Abi’s Paramount Plus. Some of us were sitting on the floor, some of us were sitting on the couch.” Healy enjoyed the halftime show, sharing: “I actually liked it. I thought the transitions between the songs were a little awkward but in terms of Usher’s performance I think he’s a really strong performer and I liked the incorporation of dance.” Healy was hoping for a 49er victory to spite the Chiefs and their longtime winning streak. “I also did not want Taylor’s team to win. I didn’t want her to have the spotlight of the Super Bowl,” Healy shared. “I like the element of ‘let’s all hang out.’ I’ve come to appreciate watching sports,” Healy reflected.
On the lightside of campus, Caroline Hoban ’26 congregated with her friends in her South quad to watch the game. “We streamed it on Hulu with my roommates and a few of our friends,” Hoban explained. Hoban also enjoyed the halftime show: “I low-key thought it was good. Not out here super critical of the halftime show. I think obviously Rihanna was better but that’s just because she has more songs that everyone knows,” Hoban commented. Different from Healy, Hoban was rooting for the Chiefs but “only because of Taylor Swift. I had no stake otherwise. I’m a pats [Patriots] fan.” Hoban thought the game’s overtime was the highlight of the game, sharing that “Just the fact that they caught up in the end was awesome and the fact that there was overtime. It just felt very exciting.” Hoban’s Super Bowl snack of choice was Keebler Fudge Strips.
Back on Darkside, Bridget Keogh ’26 set up her SuperBowl watching post in a List classroom with two of her friends. “We projected it onto the screen and worked as we watched.” Keogh, a staunch Bills fan, explained: “ I was rooting slightly for the Chiefs because they beat the Bills in the playoffs. So since they beat, them I wanted them to win the superbowl, and I love Taylor Swift.” Keogh and friends raided the KJ vending machine for their Super Bowl snacks, which included sour gummy worms and Reese’s pieces. “Before the halftime show I got a news alert that Usher just got married and then watching the show I was reminded of that. And Alicia Keys is also married so I thought it was a little crazy. But according to TikTok sources Alicia Keys’ husband was fine with it because they were friends.” Watching the Super Bowl is a family tradition for Keogh, “At home, I watch the Super Bowl every year. We usually go to our family friend’s house and we have tons of snacks and finger foods like nachos,” she explained. Sam Mintzer ’26 had a similar style watch party: “I did work in a room in KJ while the Super Bowl was playing in the background. We watched the overtime with the sound on.” The Super Bowl infused life into Sunday night study sessions on Darkside.
Carter Lefkowitz ’26 shared the tale of his Super Bowl watching experience: “I had a Writing Center appointment in the middle of it. And then I went back to my room in South where my roommates were and we watched the second half on our TV” Lefkowitz was unsatisfied with the game: “We were a little upset about the gameplay. It wasn’t that exciting of a game until the very end. I personally wanted to end at regulation because I had a lot of work to do and I was mad it went into overtime because I just wanted it to be over.”
Meanwhile, on the third floor of the Chapel, Andy Hohmann ’26 watched the game with friends using a projector. Hohmann shared his thoughts on the game: “Patrick Mahomes, great quarterback, should not have won. He’s so d*mn good it’s kinda annoying, like give us an underdog.” Hohmann and his friends ate all the quintessential Super Bowl foods: “We had pizza, wings and oreo icecream cake. All from the Chapel refrigerator. I also got an apple pie that was frozen from the Clinton Cider Mill so I took that too.” Chloe Hurwitz ’26 who was also watching in the Chapel shared her thoughts on the halftime show: “I was pretty impressed by Usher’s performance.”
Ally Turtledove ’25 explained her preparation for her Super Bowl watchparty: “I went to Hannaford’s and we got Pizza Hut wings. We went all out. We had a whole spread.” Turtledove was dissapointed by the game’s results: “We unfortunately had to watch the Chiefs win which stinks as a girl from Kansas City who hates the Chiefs. Roll Pats.” Super Bowl watch parties brought joy to students’ Sunday evening, enlivening the typically stressful lead up to the week.
