This year marked the first commencement of the Humans vs Zombies game at Piedmont College. The event lasted two weeks, beginning on Oct. 17 and ending on Halloween. The game began with 52 human players, but in the end, only 22 players survived. The Campus Activities Board (CAB) was responsible for this highly active event. 

At the start of the game, bandanas were given to the players as tokens of identification. Humans were told to wear them on their arms, while zombies wore theirs on their heads. This enabled players to distinguish between ally and foe.  

Humans could “stun” zombies coming after them with homemade weapons: socks stuffed with other socks. This gave them a chance to escape without losing their human status. 

During the second week of this advanced game of tag, humans were given other ways of protecting themselves. CAB began leaving special supply drops for the human players, which contained an array of helpful items, ranging from Nerf pistols to revitalizing vials that turned zombies back from the dead. The supply drops were hidden in different spots around campus, and clues were posted on social media to indicate their location. 

Julia Sandoval was quick on her feet during the first two supply drops, snagging them both before zombies could arrive. Graciously, the sophomore gifted her second item (the zombie cure) to Carrie Benfield, who used it to revive then-zombie River Hodges.  

All of the action during the game, including the clues and the winners of the drops, was shared on CAB’s social media accounts. This made it easy to follow along, even if you were not participating.  

Toni Atoa, junior and New Bedford RA, was featured on CAB’s Instagram page several times over the course of the game’s duration. One of these pictures included the “Freeze Flashlight” that he acquired from Oct. 26’s supply drop.  

CAB also provided Humans vs. Zombies updates on a sandwich board at the entrance of the dining hall for all to see. 

Students were not the only people participating in the game. Mark Jestel, director of residential education, remained a human throughout the entirety of the event, despite the zombies’ relentless efforts to tag him. 

Many of Piedmont’s students were thrilled about the game, whether they were a part of it or they were watching it from the sidelines. CAB is excited to offer the game in the future, with even more exciting twists.