Thursday Night Trivia at Vernon Social a Weekly Hit

It’s a Thursday evening in Vernon Social. The green and orange chairs are filled with eager students excited for the possibility of winning an Amazon gift card or simply for the laughs with fellow teammates. Trivia Night, hosted by Mark Bernacki, is held every Thursday at 8:00 p.m. in Vernon Social, and for some, it’s an essential part of the week. With students frequenting the Vernon bar throughout the night or bringing their own beverage, Trivia Night is an exciting kickoff to the weekend. Participants create obscure team names, listen to the categories, and leave their phones in the middle of the tables. The teams range anywhere from one person to eight, with names such as Shrukas, New York Football Giants, and Team Bonding.
The four rounds of trivia each contain five categories with topics varying from technology to Disney. Some categories include true or false, dead or alive, sports, food and beverage, and spelling. Once Bernacki, the animated emcee of this event, asks a question, each team collaborates to submit an answer, making sure to wager a point value. Teams must wager using odd point values from 1-9 in the first two rounds and even point values from 2-10 in the second two rounds. Dedicated teams who want a correct answer religiously consult the “WhatTrivia! at Trinity College” Facebook page a few hours before trivia to obtain the exclusive “answer of the week.” During breaks, teams use their phones, dance to the upbeat music, or visit Goldbergs for a snack.

At halftime, Bernacki and his assistant tally up the points while teams complete a challenging photo round. Past photo rounds included identifying United States first ladies and identifying the names of cartoon shows. Afterwards, Bernacki lets the teams know where they stand, announcing the team names and current point tallies before the beginning of the second half. Next, teams complete two more rounds filled with strange questions and answers. This past week’s memorable correct answers include “Go Fudge Yourself,” “Genetically Modi ed Organ- ism,” and “Franklin Pierce.” For most teams, the possibility of winning a coveted spot in the top three relies on the final question. Bernacki once again announces teams’ point tallies, and teams must wager anywhere from zero to their current point value before answering the nal question. The team with the lowest amount of points gets to choose from a list of categories for the final round.

With so much riding on this ultimate shot at redemption, many teams choose to bet their full point tally for an “all in” approach. The closing question involves listing multiple items in a specific category. Once Bernacki reveals the last question, teams hurriedly combine their knowledge to finalize a list of answers. Past final questions include a list of Nintendo consoles, birthstones for each month of the year, and various places where The Real House- wives series is filmed. Once Bernacki and his assistant tally responses and points, they reveal the standing and announce the top three winners. Students file out of Vernon Social either disappointed with their outcome or happily clutching prizes. If you are interested in being a part of this vivacious event, feel free to join this upcoming Thursday at Vernon Social!