The Zombie Apocalypse is coming and it’s gonna be a ton of fun

Maybe you’ve heard of the phenomenon sweeping college campuses called Humans v. Zombies? If you haven’t, you will.

We caught up with Sarah Wang, sophomore at UC Davis to learn more.

So what exactly is Humans v. Zombies?

Humans Vs Zombies is a glorified game of tag played at many college campuses throughout the world. Every campus has different variations of the game and variations of the rules, but the goal of the game is to survive (not get tagged) as long as possible, while attempting to complete missions the game moderators have designed for each day. Here at UC Davis, it lasts 4 consecutive days and nights, and happens once every quarter, usually the second week of the quarter.

Humans wield NERF blasters and balled-up clean socks to defend themselves from the zombies and must complete various missions every night of the week. Zombies are human players that were tagged by another zombie, and their goals are to tag more humans and stop them from completing their missions.

All players wear colored bandanas to designate that they are playing.

How did this start at UCD?

Organized by Freshmen Elie Friedman, Jon Abramson, and Sean Hessom, the first game was held in January 2011. While set to end in a final stand of epic Hollywood proportions, the excessive breakage of Rule 1 (don’t be a jerk/don’t exploit the rules) led to an early end to what was an epic (though bumpy) first run of Humans Vs. Zombies leaving Humans the war weary victors.

Nowadays, the game carefully monitored by game moderators throughout the week and a comprehensive set of rules was created to ensure safe, fair, and fun gameplay.

How long have you been participating and how did you hear about it?

I am currently finishing my sophomore year, but I have been playing since the first quarter of my freshman year. I heard about the game through one of the posts the event made on the various UC Davis freshman class and social pages on Facebook, which is one of the various ways we advertise the game throughout the beginning of each quarter.

We also put up and distribute flyers, table at the MU and Silo, and chalk boards in as many classrooms around campus as we can. Sometimes you may also find us hosting mini nerf games at the quad during the day.

What’s your favorite part of Humans v. Zombies?

My personal favorite part of Humans v. Zombies is the strategy and teamwork aspects of the game, as well as the fact that it’s played continuously throughout a period of 4 days throughout all of campus. If you’re on campus and wearing a bandana, you’re playing, and thus fair game for any altercations with zombies or humans.

It certainly makes going to and from classes more exciting. It also really helped me to get to know my way around campus a lot quicker as a freshman, which was definitely a plus. People play for a multitude of reasons though, from getting to meeting new people to simply wanting a fun way to get some exercise.

How does one get involved?

Our Facebook page always has the most up-to-date information on when the next game is, who to contact if you have questions, and anything else you might need to know if you want to get involved. You can also talk to anyone you see tabling at the MU or Silo or anyone you see chalking a board for HvZ. If you know someone who plays, feel free to talk to them as well! We are always excited to have new players!

We’ve also made it very simple for anyone to get involved, as you don’t even need to own any nerf gear, because we have a large community stock that we will loan you for free, and if you don’t have a bandana, anything distinguishable enough can be used, as long as it is cleared by a moderator. We are also a low-commitment club, so if you think you don’t have time to play all four days, it’s okay, you can come join or leave at any point in the game.

What should a new person expect from their first experience?

A new person can expect to meet a lot of cool people, get to know their way around campus, and discover some cool places around campus. They can also expect the unexpected, because with this game, unexpected action can happen at any moment, no matter if you’re a human or a zombie. You never know if there’s a zombie right around the corner, or if there’s been one stalking you from class to class.

Or, as a zombie, you may just happen to stumble upon an unsuspecting human on your way to class. Some of the most entertaining human/zombie altercations have happened with players being in the same classes together, and one of them ambushes the other right out of class. It’s a game that definitely keeps you on your toes, whether it’s running for your life or looking over your shoulder every few minutes.

Be prepared to strategize, work with a team, make some friends, shoot some zombies, “kill” some humans, and most importantly, have a lot of fun!

Pro tip: Communication is key!

Anything else you want people to know about Humans vs. Zombies?

Our next event is a special one-night game this Saturday, May 14th from 7:00pm – 10:30 pm. If you’re not sure if you’re going to like the 4-day event, come try it out for one night! It’s entirely possible to survive a long time without fancy gear (and it’s much more impressive!). And if you’re afraid that you’re not going to survive for very long, don’t be distraught. Most players agree that playing as a zombie is just as fun. We also work hard to constantly implement new ideas so that the game is constantly changing and improving, and never getting boring or repetitive.

Like I said before, Humans vs. Zombies is a great way to meet new people and make friends across a variety of majors and years, and it’s a way to experience the campus from an entirely new perspective.

You don’t truly know the quad until you’ve sprinted through it with a horde of zombies just behind!