By Bridget Valls
Whether you’ve seen a pair of Lightning McQueen or Barbie goggles paired with a senior’s plaid skirt or navy pants, you’ve definitely heard or seen some seniors who’ve been nailed by a water gun and are trying to make their way back into senior assassins.
And for some people, these new accessories are their favorite part of the whole game. “I like to wear my rhinestone goggles,” Mary Lanigan told me. And she was quick to add that she made her partner, Quade, wear rhinestone goggles as well, even though he really did not want to.
Aside from the new accessories, there are also new fears and thrills, with people out to get you outside of school hours. It scares some people, like Tyler Ebbert, who says he does not like “not being able to go places” without getting squirted. But for some people, like Janey Aaronson, that’s all of the fun. She loves “the thrill of people chasing you.”
And some people are chasing more than others. Hope Maner told me her “assassination” story of getting Sam Crowley out. She got to his house early in the morning before he left for school and blasted him the second he tried to get in the car.
With many people getting out just like Sam, there are also revival challenges for people who want a second chance at the game. Tyler Wells was quick to criticize these challenges, except his own, of course, which included wearing goth makeup to school. “The revival challenges are way too easy except mine,” he told me.
But other people would beg to disagree, like Zarin Sapra and Bryce Milbury, who were forced to dance to Single Ladies on their public Instagram account, or Mary Lanigan and Quade, who had to sing Kesha in the middle of the foyer at 3:10 for everyone walking by.
Along with the fear and challenges, there are also some wholesome moments and thoughts about this game. “I like how it gives me something fun to do during the school year and brings me closer to my friends,” Bryce told me. Peter Casey agreed. “I think our grade has become closer because you see people you don’t usually see outside of school,” he said.
All of these things contribute to many funny stories about both successful and failed assassinations.
Take Maiya Tomlin and Hopkins David, for example, who were trying to get their target, Lauren Sung, out. First, they had to go on a scavenger hunt for her address since she had just moved and it was not on MyLion yet. After conquering this obstacle, they were hiding in her driveway. “Then she pulled into the garage, and it started closing,” Maiya said. She and Hopkins then “Maze Runner slid” into the garage, thinking Lauren did not see them. Unfortunately for them, Lauren got out of the car with her goggles on and said, “I see ya’ll.”
Zarin put a lot of effort into getting into Le Bibloquet (which is a very nice establishment) in Flip-Flops, by telling the doorman she just “needed to get my senior assassin target.” The doorman, to her surprise, let her in, and she ran up to Brady Snuggs’ table, where he was eating with his family, and squirted him and ran back out.
As fun as it is to play Senior Assassin, the Game Masters, Catherine Zelnak and Sidney Wynn, are having some fun with it too. “Senior Assassin is such a fun recent tradition at Lovett, and I love receiving failed and successful eliminations,” Sidney told me. And Catherine added, “I think the revival challenges are super funny to watch.”
With power comes responsibility, and Sidney and Catherine have the unfortunate task of managing the Lovett 2027 GroupMe and its various questions. “The dumb questions can be a lot, but they are inevitable,” Sidney said. But even with these questions, Catherine said, “It’s definitely not as hard as people would expect it to be.”
Although the Lovett campus is completely off limits in this game, word travels quickly at Lovett. Walking down the hall, I ran into Mr. Howell, and after he told me to take off my Ole Miss sweatshirt (Hotty Toddy!) I was quick to ask him what he thought of the game.
“I know it exists, but I know nothing about it,” he said. His mischievous smile made me think he definitely follows the Instagram, but I have no proof of this yet.
Fortunately for students and admin alike, we’ve been keeping it cool. “This year you guys have kept it under control and safe, and that is all we care about,” he said.
Mrs. Gilmore heard me talking to Mr. Howell, and she added her two cents. “I think this senior class especially has made it extra fun this year,” she said. Although she does not follow the Instagram, she thinks the videos are pretty funny.
Senior assassin has its ups and downs for sure, but it is all in good fun, and as Lane Rodts puts it, it’s all for “the love of the game.”
