Pool Noodles are Deadly

In the second semester, seniors have a lot on their plate. Many seniors have to worry about applying to colleges and beginning the process of financial aid, while others stress about juggling their academic life while playing a spring sport. But after all their stress is relieved, they are still paranoid about one single thing: getting hit by a pool noodle.

This year’s senior assassin is currently in full swing, and seniors are beginning to drop like flies. With a cash prize of around $690, it is no surprise that many people are taking this event seriously.

“Each person is assigned a target to ‘eliminate’ using an item such as a pool noodle. You can prevent being eliminated by having on a safety item, like a floatie. Rounds continue with alternating targets until there is one person remaining,” senior class president Sofia Pathak explained.

The game is pretty self explanatory: you have to get your target out before you get out. All of which has to take place in a certain time frame, albeit with some caveats, including designated safe zones. If you are in school or working, you are safe. 

“I think Senior Assassin brings seniors closer together, but sometimes a little too close, like knowing each other's address or where we go during the day. People aren’t too happy to see their assassin at a family event,” Senior Assassin participant Luca Quintana described.

Quintana brought up a notable question: when does the game start getting weird? Getting your target out may take some drastic measures, including finding their house and waiting outside.

Many seniors have expressed their concerns about the potential breach of privacy. However, there are measures in place regarding this, including disabling a map that was originally going to be used. 

Senior Assassin can be a roller coaster at times. One day multiple people are eliminated, then the next few days are boring with no outs. This can be altered by purge days, in which the safe item that you are able to wear no longer protects you, and any area that isn’t a safe space is free game for elimination.

“Purge days are based on need. Depending on how many people are getting out and the flow of the game, it is decided.” Pathak determines when purge days occur, and an announcement is made in the group chat.

Many people are eliminated when a purge day is initiated. This could especially be seen on the first purge day, which took place on Valentine’s Day, when there was no school. 

While some people focused more on staying in the game than on their relationships, some seniors were unfortunate, including Henry Leyba, who was eliminated after a baseball practice. “I was walking out of practice when I got tagged out. I couldn’t react in time,” Leyba noted. 

Despite Leyba being eliminated early into the game, he still has a chance at winning the cash; a buyback will eventually be announced where anyone eliminated can pay a fee to get back into the game. 

So if you see a senior wearing an arm floatie or swim goggles, expect them to be on high alert for their potential target when they leave the school. With almost $700 on the line, everyone is doing whatever it takes to eliminate their target.