Approximately 25 people showed up to Trivia Night on Thursday, September 10 at Donovan’s Pub to partake in the exciting and surprisingly competitive game as each team vied for the win. There were around five teams who competed. The game consisted of four rounds that each had different categories for questions. Categories included movies, actors, food origins, current events, geography, Spain, U.S presidents, music, power women, politics, sports and television. Each team could wager points on their answer. If the answer was wrong, no points were lost. However, teams could only wager points from a set group of numbers such as one through seven. In addition, a team could wager a certain number of points only once per round. Depending on how confident they were about their answer, some would place a higher number of points on answers they felt were right. This wager system helped to add a strategy element to the game. 

One particularly contested question fell under the category of food origins. The question asked what kind of chocolate spread chocolatier Pietro Ferrero created as a solution to the high price of chocolate during the 1940s. The correct answer, according to the Trivia Night game administrators, was Nutella. However, one team argued that a correct answer should also be hazelnut spread. Ultimately, this team received no points. It came as a surprise to many but very early on it was apparent that participants were serious about winning. 

“Trivia Night was unexpectedly heated. It was so wild to see everyone getting so into it,” first-year Erin Hoffman said. 

This atmosphere of competition made the event exciting and engaging. Perhaps part of the reason why teams were so invested in the game was because the winners could win ‘Gate Cash prizes, with the team coming in first-place eligible to win $75. Many claimed they wanted to win the cash to pay for laundry fees. 

Another interesting question involved teams naming obscure songs from listening to them for about a minute. These songs included “Electric Love” by BORNS and “Take Me Out” by Franz Ferdinand. Only one group received points for this question. Another question asked teams to name the country that possesses the smallest coastline in the world, with the answer being Monaco. 

After the fourth round concluded, two bonus questions were posed. One bonus question asked teams to name the top four liberal arts colleges in America according to U.S News and World Report. Despite the sense of competition, it seemed that all participants enjoyed the game. 

“I enjoyed trivia night for the healthy competition it creates,” first-year Melina Liulakis said.

Many reveled in challenging their friends, while others found it entertaining to exhibit their vast knowledge of trivia. Trivia Night is usually held every Thursday at Donovan’s Pub, with the next Trivia Night scheduled for September 17.