Bring on the Socks

It's midnight, February 1st, 2012. You give a frantic glance to the left, to the right. Are you safe, down here? Not really, no. Darn it! Why is your computer upstairs? You knew the game was starting...but somehow that wasn't on your mind. Wait, what's that sound? Someone's coming, down the stairs! He's asking about your whereabouts; you can hear him! You quickly gather your belongings and bolt for the bathroom, fumbling with the lock. Assassins has begun, and everyone's a target.

Comics featuring their RAs explain the rules of the game to residents

Well, not everyone, but about one third of the residents in Tilton and Haskell signed up to play my first social program of the semester: Assassins. Roughly 100 Jumbos, including the RAs, are checking their backs at every turn now that the game has begun.

 

For those unfamiliar, you can learn all about our game on the website. In particular, take a look at the Achievements section; there are a lot of fun stories to read (and yes, I wrote them). But here's the executive summary: A student is assigned a target (another student), who he must tag with socks. A successful tag eliminates the target, and the assassin is given a new target (his defeated target's intended target, incidentally). The last person standing wins. Of course, we have more detailed rules, but those are the basics.

The RAs are playing a separate game with one another exclusively, making for three distinct pools: Haskell residents (41), Tilton residents (47), and RAs (8). So I'm running around campus with an extra pair of socks, on the lookout for any RA on my duty team.

Already, there have been a few interesting developments. One RA tried to assassinate her target before the game officially started, revealing her secret assignment prematurely. In another instance, two residents independently scored kills only minutes before being eliminated themselves. I've been awarding (trivial) "achievements" for such accomplishments (e.g. "Premature Assassination" and "Karma Kings" above). Follow the feed online to keep up with our game.

For those playing, good luck. And, to reference Hitchhiker's Guide: Don't panic, and always carry a towel!