Game show tests students' pop culture IQ for fun, prizes

Campus event offers welcome break from studies

Do you know who Oprah Winfrey's trainer is? Have you ever wanted to try to sing like the contestants on American Idol? Do you like Top 40 music and free food? Or maybe you just know a lot about pop culture?

Point Park students from freshman to seniors demonstrated all of the above last week during a campus event called ThinkFast, hosted by Campus Activities Board.

ThinkFast is an interactive, pop culture trivia game show that has been featured on Nickelodeon. The show tours college campuses including West Virginia University, Penn State University and the University of Michigan, along with military bases and the Children's Miracle Network locations.

During the show, players form teams with as many members as desired. The teams use keypads to answer multiple choice and video questions, displayed on two large screens, in categories such as music, movies, history, sports, science and books. The winning teams from each of four rounds advance to the final round, competing for the $200 grand prize.

Throughout the evening, students took part in smaller competitions such as American Idol singing, dancing and animal calls. Those winners received iTunes and Starbucks gift cards.

During the Point Park competition, red, blue, yellow and pink lights beamed around the Lawrence Hall ballroom while the deejay played the latest hits by artists like Jay-Z, Rihanna and Taylor Swift. Jason Long, the emcee of the event, was quick and witty as he moved the evening along smoothly, keeping things lighthearted and thrilling.

The most interesting aspect of ThinkFast was the student involvement. Students were excited and into the game, which tested their pop culture IQ, enhanced the fun vibe at Point Park and encouraged more social activity.

"I did this at freshman orientation. I won, so I wanted to come back again," said Matt Frankwitt, a freshman history major from Pittsburgh.

The freshmen who had experienced ThinkFast at orientation said the game was a great way to help them meet new people and break the ice into the new and, what could be intimidating, environment that is college.

"It's a lot of fun," said Nicole Flasch, a freshman dance major from Chicago. "Everyone got involved!"

Campus Activities Board events, especially ThinkFast, are great ways for students to unwind, sometimes with free food, after a week of classes. They get to interact and have a fun -- and safe -- time with their friends. Alexis Vardakas, an undecided freshman from Philadelphia said it best: "I wanted to come and hang out with my peeps!"

It's very easy to learn about CAB events. Students receive weekly e-mails giving the rundown of all Point Park's special activities, including dates, times and locations.

Another way of learning about events like ThinkFast is logging onto Facebook and becoming a fan of the CAB page. That way, students get the latest updates on the fun activities ahead at Point Park.

Article by by Alisha Valeri

Video by Anne Perri and Ashley Murray