By Zack Downing, Staff Writer
We’re in the heart of the first semester right now, and that means every student has filled their brain with information that they’re trying to retain for finals.
However, exams aren’t the only forum you can use your vast knowledge for, so on November 9, UMass Dartmouth put on a Trivia Night event in the campus center.
Teams of three to six people came out to compete with each other, answering questions about topics ranging from US geography to movies to pop culture. There was even a sports category that had a couple questions that stumped the sports buffs.
There were six teams vying for the top spot, battling for the abstract title of Movember Trivia champions, but the students weren’t just competing with their pride on the line; there were also prizes.
The winners of the game were rewarded with UMass Dartmouth merchandise, including sweatshirts and water bottles. They also included receipts, in case you didn’t get your size, or you had another sweatshirt in mind.
Every team had a pad of paper with their team’s name that they would write the answers on. This was no multiple choice quiz show either; players had to know the required answer immediately off the top of their head.
The competition was fierce that fateful night. A lot of questions were tough; if you didn’t know Arizona was the Copper State, or who the last defensive NFL MVP was, you were out of luck.
The game consisted of five rounds of five questions worth different points, and ended on a Jeopardy style wager question, where everybody went big or went home.
In the end, “Dinner at 6 Boyz” won the top spot and took home the prizes, with “The Greatest Team of All Time” placing in an ironic second place.
Tess Maley, a sophomore psychology major and member of the winning team, said, “Some of the questions were actually difficult, but a good team can bring all the knowledge you need. I’ve been to lots of SAIL events and this was one of my favorites.”
The most important part of the trivia night was its connection to Movember. Sponsored by SAIL, the Office of Health Education, and more, Movember is a month long event every November that raises awareness about the health and safety problems that men face daily.
Movember follows Breast Cancer Awareness month, and does its part to help the men’s side of the issue.
However, to make the month entertaining, Movember also encourages men to not shave for an entire month, hence the name of the event as well as its other nickname: No-Shave November.
Trivia Night integrated the theme well by ending each round on a bonus question that concerned men’s health. They asked about the number one health risk for men, alcoholism statistics, and more.
Trivia Night was only one of nearly a dozen on-campus events that Movember is behind. If you want to get competitive and support men’s health, there are many more opportunities for you.
At the end of the month there will be a “Grow Your Mo” contest also in the campus center. Contestants will be judged on the length, color, and appearance of their beards and/or mustaches.
If you want to show off your facial hair, head down to the campus center at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30, to show support and perhaps win!
Also in the campus center is a banner showing each of the events scheduled to take place during Movember, so if you want to learn more, then check them out. To learn more information about the month or the cause it supports, visit Us.Movember.com.