By, TARYN RIPPLE
On Wednesday, Feb. 13 Drake University was visited by the Nerdology team, a group that performs interactive trivia programs all over the country. Roughly 40 students congregated around Pomerantz Stage in Olmsted Center for the event, which was organized by the Student Activities Board.
The traveling pop culture trivia show came to Drake for a night of fun that gave students a chance to test their knowledge and to work as a team with their friends. The event, which lasted for about two hours, consisted of five rounds of trivia questions interspersed with audience participation games that ranged from performing amusing stunts to showing off pop culture knowledge.
Participating students formed teams with their peers to answer ten trivia questions per round, each of which pertained to a different category of knowledge. At the end of each round, the hosts tallied the points and updated the teams on their standing in the competition.
As a bonus incentive, competitors had the chance to win prizes like various toys and trinkets or even gift cards. Prizes were awarded based on both correct answers and wrong but humorous ones.
Entertainment co-chair and event organizer Sam Bergstrom of the Student Activities Board said that the SAB’s ultimate goal is to provide entertainment for students in a fun and safe environment by organizing shows and events like Nerdology. SAB-sponsored activities are meant to enrich student life and add variety to their on-campus experience.
Bergstrom said the Board thought that the Nerdology show would be a great activity to offer students, as an interactive trivia show seemed like a good opportunity for students to spend time with friends and to bring out their inner nerd.
Nerdology co-host Robert Rico gave some insider details on what being on the traveling trivia team can entail. Rico said that as a professional “nerd” he and his team typically put on anywhere from seven to ten shows in a week. As for the team’s tour schedule, Rico said that the group can be on the road performing shows and doing events for three weeks or even be traveling for up to a month at a time.
“The best part of my job is providing fun entertainment for students,” Rico said. “Plus we get to make them laugh every time, which is always great.”
After the event wound down, SAB member Genesis Buckhalton said that she hadn’t been sure what to expect of the trivia night, but that she had ended up thoroughly enjoying herself at the show.
Buckhalton formed a team with her fellow SAB members to participate in the competition. She said that her favorite parts of the experience were the audience games, the fun trivia and the opportunity to work as a team with her friends.
Buckhalton said that she thought the event was an overall success for students as well as a triumph for the SAB.
“I loved seeing everyone be happy and excited,” Buckhalton said. “I love seeing people come to our events and have a good time.”
Photo of students during the Nerdology trivia