Decision, decisions. Those are what I am faced with as I begin to pack my suitcase for the upcoming trek to Iowa State’s bowl game. If you are wondering why I am packing so early, well, you have never seen how long it takes me to get ready for a trip.

With the Tangerine Bowl, Motor City Bowl and Humanitarian Bowl all potential hosts for the Cyclones’ postseason game, I made sure to grab a duffel bag as well, for Detroit, Orlando and Boise are three very different places.

Random thought I had while writing this — what’s so humanitarian about making two teams go to a place where the temperature is as low as Pedro’s ERA and the potato is your state flower? The folks from Boise should’ve named it the “I-will-pretend-I-am-happy-about-playing-in-Idaho-but-would-really-love-to-be-somewhere-warm Bowl.”

Any time you go on a vacation, the first thing you need to pack is a pair of swim trunks. I enjoy my American Eagle ones — stylish and comfortable. However, bring an extra pair for the guy in your group who forgets his and is stuck wearing gym shorts. For the extra pair, I suggest rainbow trunks like the ones my dad sleeps in. (Don’t ask — he just likes them.)

But swimming is fun, and a good way to work off the food and beverages you will consume on your trip.

The next thing I decided to bring was a spray can of mace. Last time I checked, Detroit had the highest murder rate in the country, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea. And if one of the Boise locals starts making eyes at you, you’re just a spray away from a hasty exit.

I also chose a set of skis. I have never been skiing before, and both Michigan and Idaho have pretty good slopes. And if you’re stuck with them in Orlando, use the skis to hang up your beach towels.

Trust me, you will gladly lug them around in that 75-degree weather.

The hardest part of my packing was picking out clothes. Deciding between pants, shorts, shirts and long underwear had me more confused than R.C. Slocum on pink slip day.

I finally settled on two of each, kind of like Noah. That way it would be fair, just like the entire bowl system itself. By letting practically everyone play, nobody goes home disappointed.

This is why people should be happy we get a chance to play in Boise. How soon we Cyclone fans forget just how disappointing it was to sit at home during the holidays, watching other teams and their fans enjoy bowl-game festivities. The Cyclone Nation should be thrilled that we are simply getting to play in the postseason.

It’s funny how at the beginning of the season everyone wasn’t worried about where we would go bowling but instead if we would win five games. Think about how many sports where you can lose five of your last six games and get rewarded for it. Not many.

We are not Nebraska and we are not Oklahoma. Therefore we shouldn’t feel slighted about going to the Humanitarian Bowl. Be happy that we are even going somewhere at all and have a chance to cap off the year with the eighth win of the season.

Besides, this will probably be your one chance to see the only Astroturf field in the nation that is entirely blue.

“Smurf turf,” Cyclone football and rainbow swim trunks. I can’t think of a better way to spend the holidays.

Zac Reicks

is a senior in journalism

and mass communication from Lawler. He is a sports editor for the Daily.