All my life, I have known that I possess a deep well of knowledge—one that far surpasses the ordinary human. As I walked into my dorm on Wednesday following another unsuccessful night of Nummit Trivia, no prize sticker in hand, I felt defeated. And yet, the more I reflected on my trivia experience, the more I realized what had really been defeated: the trivia potential within me.
My first qualm with the Nummit Trivia experience is that the environment is not suited for a diligent competitor like myself. Something about the warm lights, calming music, and constant supply of seasonal beverages seems to dull the competitive edge that is so essential to high-level trivia. As a dues-paying member of NPKA (National Pursuit of Knowledge Association, Inc.), I know a competition environment should be exactly sixty-four degrees Fahrenheit, so as to keep players alert and engaged. The room should have either cool LED lighting or be exclusively candlelit, so as to provide either a high-pressure experience or dark academia ambiance. The room should be silent. These standards were blatantly ignored all year—is it any wonder I could not tap into my full genius?
Environment aside, the attitude of participants is shockingly nonchalant. When I compete in an intellectual sport, my passion becomes all-consuming. I feel the highs of answering a difficult question perfectly, and oh, how I feel the lows when knowledge slips from my grasp! Apparently, this zeal is not shared by my competitors—I was asked to leave several times after throwing a pitcher at another group in frustration, even though I fetched paper towels to help clean them up afterwards. Surrounded by such uninspiring peers, it is no wonder that my performance sunk to the same level.
Even the content of the questions is disappointing for an informational expert such as myself. This was especially upsetting during the music rounds, which were consistently beneath my taste. Most artists I listen to, critically acclaimed as they are, are fairly underground. I appreciate music for the artistry, the lyricism, the beauty that it is, instead of being swayed by trends like a scrawny tree in a forest of mediocrity. I guess it was my mistake that I expected high-quality music, like Bladee or 2hollis. I would have even settled for an Mk.gee song, although that still would have been insultingly easy for any real music trivia practitioner.
I’m not sure whether I will be in attendance at all next semester. Frankly, I might need to take a hiatus from all trivia after it was so polluted for me this semester. Will the joy of random facts ever again light my life? Maybe. Maybe not. As tragic a tale as this is, let my Nummit Trivia journey be a lesson to you, dear reader. If you are a true devotee of high intensity, super legit trivia, stay away from the coffee-shop mockery of our sport, lest too the fires of your passions be smothered by the ice cold hydrants of mediocre minds.
Kathleen Pritchartt ‘28 is a Trivia Pursuits major from Nashville, TN. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].
