It is an amazing thing to form a bond with someone you have never met. But as humans, it is our duty to stay alive. We take shelter, fleeing from life on campus for a week, desperately hiding in rooms and other buildings from the adrenaline junkies. The zombies’ thirst for blood grows stronger with each passing day. This has been Humans vs. Zombies week.
This was my first year participating in HvZ, thanks to people telling me I am a senior and it’s my last year to do things on campus (sad, I know). So I figured I would try my hand at what some might consider the greatest game on campus. This is the third year the zombie apocalypse has hit Northwestern.
I was advised the night before on how to guard myself at the end of Monday chapel with the game would begin. The tips came from my wise roommate Jessica Rayela who is a stud in this game. The first year she was untouchable and stayed human until the end of the week. Last year she became a zombie but learned some valuable knowledge to pass on to me:
– No eating in the Caf. That is way too dangerous, and it is not worth risking your human life.
– Watch out for zombies hiding in bushes. They will get you.
– Walk fast. Very fast. Run even. Just run.
– Don’t break collarbones. That’s a doozy. It has happened before.
– Walk in groups. If you’re not walking in a group, always be on your guard.
– Watch for the armbands signaling a zombie. They often try to hide them with their hands.
– Stay inside at night. No need to try to be heroic and run across campus in the dark.
So the paranoia was in full swing as we were leaving chapel. I desperately needed to get to the art building and I needed to get there fast. The original zombie was coming out soon and I could not bear to be humiliated by being tagged in the first few minutes – especially not on the first day. Thankfully there was a human right behind me as I began my quest out into the zombie-infested world. We both frantically checked our backs the entire long walk, armed only with socks, a Nerf gun and the determination to stay alive.
By the time I was about to venture across Highway 10, I saw a man in black running like crazy, and I knew immediately what he was after: human blood. My adrenaline kicked in and my heart started to pound as I realized the horror I saw. The game was on.
After an hour of surviving, I felt confident in my zombie-evading skills. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.
Having class at 1 p.m. really put damper in my strategic game plan. Humans are safer when traveling in packs, but I found myself alone that afternoon, as not a single soul in my apartment was leaving for class. Grasping my socks in my hand, I set out on this terrifying adventure. I walked alone, afraid of an attack at any moment.
I was halfway to class when I stopped dead in my tracks. Though slightly hidden, their orange bandanas caught my eye. I knew who they were. I knew what they were after.
Scared out of my mind and with no game plan, I threw my only pair of socks. My aim missed its target and I found myself staring into the dark, haunting eyes of a zombie.
Defeated, I turned in my ID card. During my only game of HvZ, I lasted two whole hours.
Note to self: I should have done some target practice.
To all the humans still out there: order in some Pizza Ranch pizza and stay human. You have until 5 p.m. tonight to stay alive.
To all the zombies now roaming campus: stay thirsty. Sniff out campus for the pizza. And try to stay human next year.
