As the second week of the semester came to a close, Otters gathered for the first trivia night of the school year, hosted by Associated Students (AS) at the Otter Express on Thursday evening.
More than 50 students gathered around with their friends, opened their phones to the Kahoot app, and tested their knowledge (and competitiveness) in categories such as back to school, Monterey, and, of course, some Otter fun facts. There was a category for everyone.
The hour-long event was filled with laughter, confusion and the occasional friendly argument over the right answers. The energy was fun and social, and even if you came in not knowing anyone, chances were you’d get to know at least one new person. As all the tables in the lobby area of the Otter Express were filled it was difficult not to make connections with other students especially given all of the excitement and energy in the room. As the night progressed and buzzed with excitement there was also celebrations from the tables that got the answers right along with sighs from those who seemed to have missed the answers. The night was anything but quiet.
While trivia nights and similar events might seem purely recreational, they offer students opportunities to connect and build relationships in a relaxed setting. These events offer meaningful and fun conversations and interactions outside of the classroom, which are important to strengthening the campus community. Most importantly they provide a space for students to unwind and enjoy time with their friends that creates a vibrant and connected campus life.
Miguel Morales said, “Even though these are such simple ideas, simple things like this can bring people who are maybe less social out and do something fun like this and they might meet people that they’re sitting next to.”
With this being the first trivia night of the semester, those who missed it will have a chance to attend one in the future event hosted by AS, where they can not only destress and socialize but also win some prizes along the way.