The Super Bowl is an American tradition that draws more than 120 million viewers per year, making it one of the most-watched television events in the United States. For many Portola High staff and students, Super Bowl weekends mean hosting watch parties with loved ones while celebrating special traditions that have been passed down for years.
Sophomore Krithika Palliboyina’s day begins with baking a large cake and other desserts alongside her extended family. Each participant submits predictions for the final score, with the winner earning the right to smash the cake in another family member’s face, according to Palliboyina.
“My sister won because she guessed the Seahawks would win 30-14, which was really close to the score,” Palliboyina said. “She chose me, so I got smashed in the face with our cake. It was really fun to spend the day with my family and the people I love.”
Although many traditions revolve around family, some students celebrate the Super Bowl through rituals shared with friends. As fans of the Seattle Seahawks, senior Neo Tian and his friends ate 30 spoonfuls of sriracha hot sauce this year, one for every 10 yards gained by the New England Patriots, according to Tian.
“We wanted to make the Super Bowl fun and we really wanted to see each other suffer,” Tian said. “It was really bad. We started crying around Bad Bunny’s halftime show. We were trying to enjoy the show, but we were too busy chugging milk, so that was an interesting experience.”
Portola High staff members also bring their own flair to Super Bowl traditions, keeping long-standing rituals alive. Math teacher Eric Graham has spent more than a decade maintaining a friendly prediction tradition, known as the “predictagraham,” with a small group of college friends.
“The name was based on my Instagram tag, and it turned into a little joke that my friends and I have about making sports predictions,” Graham said. “The Super Bowl has always been almost like a Thanksgiving for me. I usually host an event and cook all the food; each year is just a good celebration of getting all my friends together.”
For many at Portola High, the Super Bowl is defined less by the final score and more by the traditions built around it.
