It is safe to say that every year the Super Bowl can bring pretty crazy parties, screaming fans and of course the most entertaining commercials. However this year’s Super Bowl will be even more hectic for Quinnipiac students because the majority of students are either from New York/New Jersey or the New England area, making this year’s Super Bowl a very competitive one.

Since competition is half the fun of Super Bowl, what better way to encourage a little friendly rivalry than by throwing a Super Bowl party? Whether you and your friends are only rooting for one team or there is a mixed group of fans in the room, throwing a Super Bowl party is fun and easy.

Decorating for the Super Bowl this year is a little easier since both of the teams share similar colors. For easy decorations try going to the dollar store or Party City and picking up streamers and balloons in red and blue. Party City has plenty of Super Bowl themed items including napkins and centerpieces.

Also, looking online is always a good option. OrientalTrading.com has a large selection of fun items including gold plastic trophies that can be given away as prizes to the fans on the winning team, as well as a “Football Party Music” CD and inflatable footballs.

Of course no party would be complete without food. For an easy, no fuss menu, ordering out is always a good idea especially if there is a large crowd. Subs, pizza and buffalo wings are always popular during the Super Bowl.

For those of you who would rather make your own food, there are plenty of easy options to choose from. If you love buffalo wings, then you will love this buffalo chicken dip. You just need:

2 (10 ounce) cans chunked chicken, drained

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup Ranch dressing

3/4 cup hot sauce, such as Franks Red Hot

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

First, preheat the oven for 350 degrees. Then heat the chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in the cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese and then transfer the mixture into a pie plate (or any oven safe dish) sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately with anything you want, crackers, celery sticks or Tostitos.

For easy mini pizzas, you can use English muffins, split them in half and arrange them on a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and spread the desired amount of pizza sauce on each muffin half. Sprinkle each half with some shredded mozzarella cheese and whatever toppings you prefer, and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

If you are looking for something easier and faster to make, then you can always opt for microwaveable nachos: just take some tortilla chips, sprinkle them with cheddar cheese and pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. However, keep an eye on them to make sure the cheese doesn’t burn.

If you like, heat up some refried beans to add as a topping, or scoop out a large serving of sour cream, salsa, or guacamole and enjoy.