Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most awaited weekends of Winter Term, and of the whole year. Football fans look forward to their favorite teams competing for the title of the Super Bowl Champions. This year, the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks went head-to-head for the title, and in a shockingly one-sided game, the Seahawks emerged victorious against the Patriots in a 29-13 win.
“The Patriots played terribly, but they are still my favorite team. I was really disappointed by their loss, but I hope next year is better”, said Kavita Trivedi ’27. This opinion is not lost around campus since a large population of Union students hail from the New England region and were rooting for the Patriots to win the title.
In a recent reel on Union College’s Instagram account, the school mascot, Charger, had also predicted a Patriot win, raising anticipation for the event. Various Minervas hosted watch parties for their residents and members, allowing students to experience the Super Bowl as a community.
While the mood across campus during the game was a little grim due to the poor performance from the Patriots, the halftime show helped lift spirits, leaving everyone cheerful and excited.
This year’s halftime show featured Puerto Rican artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, known more popularly by his stage name, Bad Bunny. The performance’s setlist included hits like “Tití Me Preguntó” and “DTmF”, and featured artists like Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. It also featured cameos from artists like Karol G, Pedro Pascal, and Cardi B.
The performance brought chill vibes and hearty beats to the game, and received a great reaction from Union students.
“Bad Bunny really knows how to put on a show. I enjoyed everything about the performance. I also loved how all the bushes were actual people, I would love that job,” said Shravani Kulkarni ’28.
Other students also expressed admiration for the grandeur of the performance. While the halftime show held great significance to some students due to its entertainment value, and for the vibes that Bad Bunny brought to the stage, the show held a much deeper significance for others.
“It truly felt like a piece of home made it to the Super Bowl. I was catching references left and right and it made my heart swell to see that on such a big stage. This was an important performance not only for Puerto Ricans but also for the entire Latin community, especially during the times we’re living in,” shared Ariela de la Villa Irizarry ’27, a Puerto Rican student.
Like Irizarry, various other students appreciated the political undertone to the performance, admiring Bad Bunny’s ability to take a stance on such a large scale, and in front of such a large audience. At the end of his performance, Bad Bunny shared a message on the billboard with the message, “the only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
“Bad Bunny said what America needed to hear. I think people who are less politically literate got a lot more out of the show than I did. But I think it was a good half-time show and it meant a lot to the people, especially immigrants and hispanic people,” expressed Connor Rizvi ’27.
Benjamin Visconti ’28 felt that “the billboard wasn’t very political. Sure, there was symbolism,but I just thought it was honest. It helped make the sport more global, which was the goal anyways”.
All in all, Super Bowl Sunday was a huge success at Union College. Students experienced the day in different ways based on their interest—from attending the watch parties with their friends to going online just to see the halftime show. Even though some students were deeply saddened by the loss of the Patriots, everyone agreed that the halftime show was a huge hit, and exactly the boost they needed to end the day on a good note.
