Nothing Trivial About It

(Above: Grace Lee '20 co-hosts an online Trivia Night. Photo by Kevin Maguire.)

Which candy is known as “the Freshmaker”?

What is the name of Star Lord’s ship in Guardians of the Galaxy?

Which classic Disney Princess has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?

More important, how do you maintain a sense of community when a pandemic has scattered your classmates and friends across the world?

Last answer first: You pair the latest technology with old-fashioned resilience and creativity. That’s how organizers of Trivia Night moved the Wednesday tradition from Harry’s in the Bentley Student Center to online, where teams of students can participate remotely and friends can reconnect regardless of where they’re sheltered in place.

“I personally felt driven to continue doing Trivia Night even if it would have to be virtual,” says Jame Zou ‘22, a Data Analytics major from Quincy, Mass., and one of the event’s co-hosts. “Unlike programs where students physically have to be present, Trivia Night is something that allows us to use technology and see just how connected the world is.”

Trivia has been a staple at the Student Center in some format for years. Busier nights can draw more than 25 teams, with between 75 and 90 students testing their wits. Student Center Program Coordinator Abby Pieger says students began asking about it as soon as the semester went remote.

“They were really eager for us to host again,” says Pieger.

To Zou, making the best of a sometimes difficult situation goes a long way.

“A lot of students, including me, have been greatly affected by the shift to online classes,” she says. “There’s a lack of direct interaction and that ambiance you’d get when walking through the Student Center and seeing an event happening. So being able to continue Trivia Night is a way to ensure that although things are different now, we can still have fun in other ways.”

On Trivia Night, the teams gather in a Zoom chat and socialize for a few minutes while upbeat music sets the mood and the game fills up. On a recent night, eight teams — almost 30 students — played, submitting their answers as organizers kept the score. Plans are under way to branch into themed contests like Logo Trivia and Guess the Song Trivia.

Oh, and the answers? If you guessed Mentos, the Milano and Snow White, consider yourself a Trivia Night star.