Witnesses of the Assassination

By Ha-Eun Jeon

As stressful AP exams come to a close, clean sock bombs and water guns come into play. 51 seniors armed with floaties, goggles, life jackets, and other swim equipment set foot on school grounds. Their mission? Try to assassinate their given target and survive for a week without getting assassinated. 

On May 21, 2024, the awaited game of “Senior Assassin” started. Elaborate plans, silent sabotages, and unexpected betrayals transpired here and there as the seniors scrambled to eliminate one another. However, some seniors watch from the sidelines, not participating in the game. What happened to them? Where did they go? Were they assassinated beforehand?

Some seniors forgot to sign up, missing the deadline at 8 PM. Many expressed regret, but surprisingly, they all managed to get involved and enjoyed their time. 

“I actually had quite a lot of fun watching people get shot. Since I’m not anxious about getting shot, I can wear goggles as a fashion item. I can also shoot underclassmen and not get disqualified,” exclaimed Yeon Soo Kim (12), who at first felt remorseful, but thankfully, it was short-lived due to the creative ideas she came up with to spend her week. 

Hopping on the forgetfulness train, Jason Cho (12) stated, “I thought it was pretty funny that seniors were taking this really seriously. Seeing my classmates in floaties and water guns really made me laugh, and I also joined in on the water fights after school, which was really fun.” 

Although they couldn’t physically play the game, watching everything unravel from the sidelines became its own kind of entertainment for these seniors. 

Along with the forgetful seniors, we have the seniors who willingly chose not to participate in the game. The overwhelming amount of mind games and chaos drew many introverts away from the assassination. 

Abbi Rinkenberger (12) acknowledges, “Senior Assassin was chaotic but entertaining to watch. I enjoyed not turning on my phone 24/7 and wearing odd gear, but it was fun to see how invested the seniors were in planning and attacking their targets.” 

Another introverted senior, Yuna Lee (12), states, “Watching it unfold was really chaotic and enjoyable. The length that these people go through to get the kills shows the strong determination some of my classmates have.” With this opportunity, the seniors were able to witness the different sides of their classmates and bond together.

The seniors who didn’t participate found different ways to enjoy the moment, making the different perspective memorable. From the battleground of APs and lack of sleep to the battleground of water guns, clean sock bombs, and pool equipment, the seniors finish off their last battle. Ending the year with a chaotic week of semi-drenched underclassmen, slippery stairs, random puddles, and jumpscares.