On Nov. 1, Colgate University held the inaugural Commons Cup Trivia Championship in the Edge Cafe, bringing together students from all four Residential Commons for a lively evening of intellectual rivalry and friendly competition.
The event was part of the larger Commons Cup series, an annual commons-vs.-commons competition in which students earn points through attending events and academic challenges, aiming to secure the coveted Commons Cup by the end of the academic year.
This new trivia challenge, packed with music, food, prizes, and questions curated specifically for students, provided yet another opportunity for attendees to earn points and showcase their Commons pride. Nine teams vied for prizes like pajama pants, blankets, and mugs from the Colgate Bookstore, and most importantly, year-long bragging rights as the smartest commons on campus.
Notable organizers included Residential Fellow and organizer Meg D’Souza and Richard J. and Joan Head Chair in Philosophy David McCabe, who served as the event’s charismatic announcer.
The trivia format featured three rounds of general questions followed by a high-stakes bonus round. In each round, participants answered four questions posed by McCabe — followed by a visual challenge requiring quick recall, wit, and teamwork.
Participants encountered questions in diverse categories, including sports, Colgate history, science, literature, lingo, and pop culture. Questions spanned from the academic to the quirky: contestants had to calculate the exact middle date of a non-leap year (July 2) and rank culinary measurements like pinch, dash, and smidgen in ascending order (hint: smidgen is the smallest).
No phones were allowed, only pen, paper, and teamwork. As each round ended and McCabe revealed the scores, cheers and groans filled the Edge Cafe, amping up the competitive spirit.
The competition came to a thrilling conclusion with the bonus round, which allowed teams to wager up to 10 points on a single question: “Which city hosts twelve of the top twenty largest hotels in the world?” The correct answer — Las Vegas — led to significant shake-ups in the rankings as teams either soared or plummeted depending on their gambles.
In the end, three teams emerged to claim their bookstore prizes and, of course, those all-important Commons Cup points. Team Six Pack of Ciccone Commons took first place, followed by Dart Colegrove Commons’ Order 66 (named for the infamous military command in Star Wars, playing in full stormtrooper and Jedi knight regalia) in second. Hancock Commons’ Terrific Trivia Team and the mixed-commons team Quizzly Bears tied for third.
As the night ended, students departed with full stomachs (courtesy of snacks like chicken potstickers, mozzarella sticks, chips, and guacamole) and several prizes in tow. With the competition now an annual tradition, the countdown begins for next year’s teams to start studying and strategizing, ready to claim their spot as the champions of Colgate trivia.