By Alexa Moro ’18

Intensely watching the game, eyes fixed on platinum screens and hands dripping with hot wing sauce, the Super Bowl is like a holiday for most people. No matter which teams make it to this year’s pigskin showdown, the Super Bowl brings friends and families together.

According to VoxNews, an average of 47 percent of the American population watch the Super Bowl each year. Staples students prove that the ratings aren’t only due to avid football fans. Students have traditions that they carry out every Super Bowl game, whether it’s having trouble wiping hot wing sauce from their fingers or shooting friends with Nerf-guns, the game isn’t always what they look forward to the most.

Every year, Harry Azadian ’19, Matt Brown ’18, Luc Yokoi ’19 and their families gather at the Azadian’s house for the big game. “We have a dope Nerf-gun fight during halftime,” Brown said. “[The tradition] is a lot of fun.”

Azadian agreed. “It makes me look forward to the Super Bowl even more,” he said.  

The boys like the fact that their families have continued with this tradition over the years. “It’s really special that the Browns, Yokois and our family have been doing the same thing for so long,” Azadian said.

Bryce Reiner ’17 also spends game day with his friends, but sticks to more traditional activities on the Super Bowl. “Every year, I hangout with my friends, eat wings and watch football,” Reiner said.

Reiner is not alone. Olivia Troy ’17 also looks forward to eating chicken wings, but she does not necessarily do the exact same thing each year. “Sometimes we have people over, but sometimes we go to other people’s houses,” Troy said.

She’s happy though as long as wings are present. “The wings are 100 percent the highlight,” Troy said.

As it turns out, most of America agrees. The National Chicken Council estimates that 162.5 million pounds of chicken wings were eaten on last year’s Super Bowl Sunday.

Elle Fair ’19 also enjoys the food on Super Bowl Sunday. “It’s like a second Thanksgiving at my house,” Fair said. But her favorite part is spending time with her family. “We always have a catch outside during halftime,” she said.

No matter which part people look forward to, Fair sums up the Super Bowl for most viewers.

“It’s a great day to spend with family and friends,” Fair said.