Returning Fire

Isaac Chan

“And may the odds be ever in your favor!”

And thus the curtains were raised on StuCo’s final event.  It began with 13 districts and was played by over 100 people. The games started at 6:30p and ran until 9:30p. The games were quite interesting, due to the many mechanics that were in play. With multiple means of winning, people adopted various methods of strategy. There were the incredibly militant groups, which focused almost solely on getting tags. On the other end of the spectrum, there were the quieter groups that would run from groups that were simply strolling around, entirely fixated on getting points through finishing trials. However, one common trait through all of these groups was the desire to win. The active participation was almost 100 percent.

The games’ success can be attributed largely to the Student Council committee. Peter Lee (12), the public relations manager stated, “The event was well organized by our members as everyone participated during our event. We tried to keep it so everyone was doing something.” Amanda Goh (12), the administrative assistant, agreed saying, “I felt like during this event, Stuco was very organized, particularly in their activities, and making sure people didn't leave the game.” This opinion was further enhanced by Christina Kim, Vice President, who said, “I felt like our planning was organized, which made this event really work, and it was really fun watching everything fall together.” And finally, the announcer and business manager, Zachary Tan, states “it was a crazy event because it was something new and never done before. We had a 100+ something people running around and it was a ton of fun.”

The players also had a lot to say about the games. Joseph Leech (12), the winner of the games’ individual survival award commented, “The game was the best StuCo event I've been to. It was really fun getting to kill people, and ultimately win. I'm going to have a great time spending my gift at Chili’s.” Another player, Gloria Kim (12) stated, “I felt the intensity of the games, and I'm very thankful StuCo planned these games.” That statement perfectly sums up the condition of the games. There were alliances, broken treaties, and tears everywhere. This level of intensity has never before been seen in a StuCo event. In an odd turn, at the final hours of the games, District 8 decided to all commit suicide in order to elevate one member of their team; Chery Yeap (12), explains, “we were very loyal to each other, so we plotted to have a secret weapon named ESTHER, and she carried the team.”

Public opinion on this event seems unanimous. Everything from the frantic scramble for points, to the ragged breaths of players as they slaved away to redeem a life, even to the ludicrosity of the trials, made these games the best StuCo activity in years. The absolute love for this event beckons StuCo to bring it back next year.