By Mia Merrill, Sports Editor
On Sunday night, 
the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks in the 49th annual NFL Super Bowl. The game was played for about four hours, with the victory up for grabs during much of the game. The Super Bowl went on as scheduled amid controversy surrounding the Patriots, who allegedly deflated footballs in the American Football Conference title game against the Indianapolis Colts.
At Skidmore, students crowded into the dining hall to watch the game. The dining hall provided various flavors of chicken wings, a football game staple. The blue side was packed for the entire duration of the program, from kickoff to Katy Perry’s eccentric halftime show and ultimately to the Patriots’ victory.
Staying in d-hall for four hours has its side effects, particularly for the employees. Students loaded up on nacho cheese that stuck to plates and silverware. With so many people settled into their seats at different tables, closing time clean up was arduous. Of course, dining hall employees were prepared for the night’s events. Those on a shift scrubbing tables knew they could hardly clean the blue side because of the crowd, and those in the dish room quickly learned how to rid the plates of the thick nacho cheese. But is it really fair to disregard our manners and our respect for dining services, even if just for a night?
Although the shift may have been more tedious, there was an undeniable sense of community in d-hall on Sunday night. Cheers would rise up from the blue side and rock the whole building. Applause erupted after the “Like A Girl” advertisement, which asked young boys and girls to demonstrate what they thought it meant to run, throw, and play sports like a girl. People from the red side wandered over to hear Idina Menzel’s rendition of the national anthem, or to experience the now phenomenon of Katy Perry’s left shark. Despite any team rivalries present in the crowd, the Skidmore community came together for a night of tradition and fun. Next year will bring more camaraderie – and perhaps a cleaner dining hall.