Bandanas, Socks, Zombies: A Normal Walk Through the Hall
NEIRAD enilno editionStudents watch the clock and wait for the bell to ring. But for what? Walking in the halls for four minutes to get to the next class? Once that bell rings, there is another 50-minute class to sit through in just a few minutes. However, around 30 students (freshmen, sophomores and juniors) have uncovered something to look forward to that is far more exciting than schlepping to the next class. It’s a game of tag called Humans versus Zombies.
“It makes an otherwise completely boring day exciting. Keeps you on your toes,” junior Renée Hodenfield said.
The rules for Humans versus Zombies are simple. It’s a game of tag. All players begin as humans, and one is randomly chosen to be the “Original Zombie” for the entire game. The Original Zombie tags human players and turns them into zombies. Each human has a bandana wrapped around his arm. A human is turned into a zombie when a zombie firmly touches any part of the human. Once the human has been hit they have been turned into a zombie.
In order to identify oneself as a zombie, the bandana is now wrapped around the player’s head. From now on the person may not take of the bandana. However, the original zombie does not wear a bandana.
Humans carry socks which can be used to stun the zombie. If the socks are thrown and hit the zombie, the zombie is stunned for five minutes. Zombies may not use shields to deflect foam darts or socks and must “feed” every 48 hours.
Humans may not be hit in classrooms, bathrooms, the library, during lunch, or any other sports, extracurricular or organized activities. The games last about a week or until there is only one human left or all the zombies have “starved” because they haven’t “feed” in less than 48 hours.
It is important to know that these rules have been modified and apply to the most recent game of Human versus Zombies played at DHS. Other rules may be found online and can be changed for circumstances.
“The game definitely made me paranoid while walking down the hallway. I always had a sock on me. ALWAYS,” sophomore Lauren Keena said.
The game at DHS started when sophomore Sammy Hampton created a group on Facebook with a few friends. Throughout the game more players joined. At the end, there were almost 30 players. The same group plans on playing another game the week before Christmas break.
Neirad asked players if they were embarrassed about walking down the halls with socks and bandanas on their heads. No one seemed to see any problem. “Carrying socks and wearing bandanas makes people wonder what you're up to,” junior Allison Graham said. “If people aren't embarrassed to walk around in full green body suits, why should I be embarrassed with a sock and a bandanna,” sophomore Mike Cortright said, referring to the boys’ soccer team during the Friday of Homecoming week.
“I think being a zombie is better because when you are a human you’re more trying to defend yourself, whereas being a zombie is more of a hunt and a challenge,” Hampton said.
Humans versus Zombies was invented in 2005 by Brad Sappington and Chris Weed at Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. The game spread virally across the Internet as hundreds of Goucher students posted Flickr photos and YouTube Videos, and told their friends from home about the game.
Today, Humans versus Zombies is played in more than 200 colleges and universities as well as high schools, military bases, summer camps, and public libraries. The game has been profiled by the Associated Press, the Washington Post, The Boston Globe, ESPN Magazine, and a whole lot of college papers. Steven Colbert named “Humans vs. Zombies” the number-one threat to America in the “Threat Down.” More information and the original rules can be found at the official website: http://humansvszombies.org/
To join a DHS game contact Sammy Hampton or get a group of friends and start your own game.
