Quizzin' Out at SOCA Jeopardy
By Kadin Savary
Friendly chaos, heated debates and excitement erupted in Whitsons during the Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA) event. Three teams of students battled it out with their wits and knowledge of the SOCA musical genre, hoping to come out on top in a classic game of Jeopardy.
“We were just trying to create new, interactive ideas like we do every week,” said Eddie Rodriguez, studio production major and co-president of SOCA. “This Jeopardy requires people to work together, so maybe they can also make a few friends while they’re at it. It’s all about finding your people.”
Answers flew out, points were stolen and new faces were surely convinced to continue attending future club events, as SOCA’s members made a sociable environment for both regular attendees and newcomers.
Originating in the 1970s within the Brother Islands of Trinidad and Tobago, SOCA (Soul of Calypso) took the nation by storm with its festive energy and ability to ignite even the most casual of partygoers.
Rodriguez finds the nature of SOCA enticing despite not being of Caribbean descent. Rodriguez, along with the rest of the club, has made it their mission to introduce more students to this wonderful genre of music, whether it’s through club meetings or fun and engaging games such as Jeopardy.
“Even if I’m not Caribbean,” Rodriguez said, “I think SOCA needs to be recognized and celebrated outside of what we do here.”
With determination and welcoming energy, the SOCA Jeopardy event created a sense of community among everyone who attended.
“It means a lot,” Rodriguez said, explaining why SOCA matters to him. “It’s a community space where I feel comfortable enough to be myself while learning all the time. I’m not just doing a job here; I’m hanging out with my people.”
As more people trickled in, the event officially began, and everyone was split into three teams: Stashes, RMONM and Spice. The hosts created a welcoming space for those who were unfamiliar with the club, encouraging everyone in the room to share their name and one fun fact about themselves.
The fun began when the first categories were chosen, and the first questions were answered, with many attendees taking immediate pleasure in debating over the correct answers. RMONM quickly took advantage of the point-stealing guidelines, swooping in with an answer(s) once opposing teams came up blank, taking the lead with a streak of five correct answers in a row, racking up a surprising 1,000 points by round four.
Team Spice was close behind the whole time, gaining 800 points with a last-minute steal in the Culture and Geography category, leaving Team Stashes in last with 400 points. However, with no real prize for winning the game, all three teams felt like one group at many points throughout the night. Some students took the liberty of explaining why an answer was correct, effectively educating those who got the question incorrect as opposed to leaving them clueless. Nonetheless, Team Spice ended up swiping the win from RMONM in Double Jeopardy, sealing their win for the night’s event with a whopping 1,600 points.
During the game’s conclusion and cleanup, Savannah Haynes, screenwriting major and host of the event, commented on the turnout.
“It was a success because everyone learned something new about SOCA, and even each other,” Haynes said. “Had some debates, and a few got pretty heated, but I think everyone made at least one new friend tonight.”
“It was amazing!” added Leon Johnson, a freshman visual arts major. “A great way to meet new people and learn about SOCA while having fun. Not gonna lie, they need more members; it was a good time.”
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