As seniors prepare to take the next step toward their careers, it’s exciting to see them transform from innocent freshmen to confident individuals who are ready to take on the world.

While academic performance remains a priority, it’s refreshing to know that our seniors are also focused on experiencing life to the fullest by embracing the thrills and joys that await them outside the classroom.

One such activity that is a perfect mixture of fun and excitement is called senior assassin. The thrill of the game is that each participant is both the hunter and the prey simultaneously. The goal of the game is to eliminate other players by targeting them with a water gun while also avoiding being targeted yourself.

Senior Taya Thoms stepped up to take the responsibility of running this game to unite seniors and provide them with a fun activity to enjoy together before the year ended.

“I thought if not me then I didn’t know who was going to do it. I also have pride in myself for being a leader and I was very determined and knew I was going to do whatever I could to make the game work while people [are] still having fun,” Thoms said.

The top three players will be the winners of this  game. As of May 3rd, four competitive players are left: Callie Menke, Ella Glaser, Jack Goodwin, and Paige Salcedo.

Senior Ella Glaser believes that playing this game is an enjoyable experience as it provides an opportunity to reconnect with old and new friends, making it a positive and fun experience overall.

“I think it’s really fun because I’m playing with people or talking to people I haven’t talked to since middle school or meeting new seniors that I didn’t even know were seniors. I think it’s really good together on an activity that we all enjoy and want to participate in. I feel like that’s pretty fun for us,” Glaser said.

The level of excitement and passion that seniors have shown towards this particular game is incredible. After the first round, it was clear that many of them were not ready to call it a day yet. They were eager to continue playing and were willing to buy back into the real game – a thrilling three-round competition of 85 seniors all competing to be in the top 3.

Senior Taylen McCartney experiences a rush of emotions and a surge of intensity while being chased in the game, triggering a sense of competitiveness within, compelling her to strive harder and not lose.

“It’s like ‘you’re not getting me’ type of thing. I get competitive. I’m like ‘No, not today’. Generally, I like to call [the person who has me] and be like ‘Get away from me’. I get excited when I get a person but it’s different when you’re being chased. I feel like it’s more adrenaline in that aspect,” McCartney said.

At first, senior Elijah Nunamaker was a bit nervous while chasing someone. However, the thrill of the competition excited him, and he was able to concentrate solely on his target.

“It is exciting. I was shaking a little bit the first couple of times, but then I was like, I just gotta get this person. I’d say [it is exciting] just the fact that you have no idea who’s after you, it can be anyone unless they’ve already tried to get you once,” Nunamaker said.

All the students participating in the senior assassin game are making sure to follow the rules to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Some rules include keeping your location on all the time and recording video evidence of the elimination. It is not allowed to eliminate someone inside school, during extracurriculars, or at work. Wearing goggles does save you except on randomly announced purge days. After sending the video of elimination, a new target is assigned.

As all of the participants are part of a large group chat, ensuring everyone follows the rules is taken care of by being vocal. In case there’s any doubt about someone following the rules, everyone votes and a collective decision is made. All these rules help in making the game a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

While money certainly adds to the thrill of the game, it is not the only factor that contributes to its excitement. The joy of creating happy memories and spending quality time also plays a significant role in increasing the game’s excitement to another level. The senior assassin game has offered the graduating class a final burst of excitement and connection before they venture into the next chapter of their lives.