Boos, cheers and muffled laughter spread across the Downing Student Union auditorium as Greek Jeopardy commenced and representatives buzzed in their answers.
Members of all 33 WKU Greek organizations competed in Greek Jeopardy on Tuesday, a traditional WKU Greek Week event in which each sorority and fraternity chapter selects a representative to compete in a competition styled after the iconic American game show.
Each sorority and fraternity donned in the colors of their organization and filled the audience to full capacity. At two tables facing across from each other on the stage sat six members holding small buzzers. Greek Jeopardy Chairs Emily Reinneck, Joselyn Trammel and Rush Robinson sat center stage as they rotated turns presenting the questions.
Participants were given five seconds to answer each question. If an individual fails to respond in the typical question format, their answer is counted as wrong.
Sophomore special education major Jennifer Stevenson began preparing for the event in March after being elected Jeopardy captain for her sorority, Sigma Kappa. While naturally competitive, Stevenson also said her extracurricular background is key for the event.
“I’ve done stuff like this before, so I’m good at memorizing,” Stevenson said. “I did academic team in middle school and high school, which is basically answering questions about random topics.”
Stevenson also participated in theater throughout high school, another extracurricular dependent on memorization skills. The most effective method, Stevenson said, is active recall.
“First, I use both flashcards and Quizlet,” she said. “Then I practice saying them aloud until it’s memorized.”
Competitors must memorize all things Greek, which can include anything from Alpha Delta Phi’s symbolic flower to Farmhouse’s motto. Other categories include WKU history and this year’s Greek Week theme, “Greekflix,” with questions about hit movies and TV shows.
Each year, each Greek organization is sent packets with updated information pertaining to each group. Most information remains the same from year to year, but competitors must stay up to date on any minor changes or updates, Stevenson said.
For many, however, competing in Jeopardy isn’t just a process of rote memorization. Studying the ins and outs of each organization has meant understanding each group on a deeper level and enjoying the process, Stevenson said.
“I just really love knowing random facts about the different sororities and fraternities, like I love the motto of Alpha Xi Delta, ‘The pen is mightier than the sword,’” Stevenson said.
For Alpha Gamma Rho Jeopardy representative Spencer Campbell, participating is much more of an act of “taking one for the team.”
When asked about preparation time, Campbell and his girlfriend, Anna Chase, laughed, admitting that he hadn’t opened Quizlet until the day of the competition.
“So, he started right now,” Chase said.
Campbell said he did the event the previous year and “a lot carries over.”
For Stevenson, Greek Week is just one example of how taking a leadership position and representing a sorority can be a means for professional growth.
“I think my sorority is really good at preparing people in that way,” Stevenson said. “If you’re interested in a leadership position and want to be able to communicate with people, they’re able to make that happen.”
