By: Austin Schwartz, Staff Writer
I hear a lot of people complain that there's nothing to do in Wichita. While there are plenty of things to do, if you ask me, I’d like to point out an inexpensive, fun activity that a small to a large group of friends — or even someone on a solo outing — can enjoy.
Kansas Trivia is a local trivia organization that allows teams to play Mondays through Thursdays each week. The venue changes depending on the day and time you decide to play.
All you have to do is get there before it starts, ask for a score sheet and answer slips, and share your team name, then you are ready to play. It’s free to enter.
I like to go on Tuesday nights with a team of five including my girlfriend, Rebekah Lipinski, as well as her brother and father. On Tuesday nights at 9, trivia is at Old Chicago at 21st and Tyler. We play under the team name “Polish Mafia” as a fun way to pay homage to their family heritage as well as to laugh at a long-running inside joke.
There are about 14 teams on an average night and prizes for the top three scoring teams. The only cost is any food or drinks ordered from the venue. Prizes consist of a cash prize in-store credit for the venue you are playing at. First is $50, second is $25, and third is $10.
The trivia format divides the night into two halves with three rounds of questions each half. The rounds have three questions total with varying categories. The quiz questions cover a number of broad topics like sports, history, science, TV, celebrities, etc. They also have some more specific topics such as fashion, cartoons, and comics.
If you are interested in going out with your friends for a fun night, you can visit their Facebook page, “Kansas Trivia,” to get times and locations for the week.
Trivia doesn’t have to be challenging if you craft your team strategically. For example, I’m the go-to for the Polish Mafia when it comes to comics or video games questions, while Rebekah’s brother, Alex, is the mastermind when it comes to sports questions.
The Polish Mafia usually places as one of the top three teams. At first, when I started going, I would feel like a weak link that couldn’t contribute much to the team. I have found that occasionally the questions can be a lot more challenging. It really just depends on what you know. When you get a question right, especially a trickier one, it feels so rewarding. I encourage you all to go out and reach for this feeling as well.
PHOTO: Courtesy Photo, Unsplash
