Within the first hour, people were already being eliminated. The first night knocked out four people from the contest. Jorge Jimenez, a senior and current player, exclaimed “it’s a good rush.”

Senior Assassin, cut from school ties, is an intense student run tradition. These contests are annually put together and officially started on March 23. For many, senior assassins keep underclassmen excited for the upcoming school year as there happens to be a grand cash prize for the winners. 

For seniors this is one of their final memories and moments to build communities before becoming adults.”It’s fun because being able to see or being able to know that everybody is willing to participate in this game,” said Jimenez. 

The rules of the game are simple, tag and don’t get hit. Though there is a slight twist, the main core to the game is that senior assassins utilize water guns as their source of attack. All weapons must resemble a water gun, they must obviously be a toy, and as for the ammunition, it can only be water. This way the game is kept harmless, keeping it enjoyable and most importantly safe.

To join in, each player needs to pay a $10 entry fee either using cash or electronic transfer to the organizer, Araceli Lupian. 

The game is managed through an app called Splashin which assigns targets, bounties, and sends out general notifications. It even lets users see where certain players are at special times. 

“It’ll send them a notification of who the target is, so it’ll either randomly assign it, or I’ll assign it, and then it’ll send them who it is, and then they’ll be able to know and then see their location,” said Lupian.

Every person has a target with the goal to attack them within the first 7 days or they face elimination themselves. For those who get taken out early, the first week offers a single “buy back” chance for $15, giving a second shot at the prize pool. 

However, being the organizer isn’t always as easy as it may seem for a game so simple. “It’s kind of stressful because I do sports and everyone’s constantly texting me and blowing up my phone if something doesn’t go their way.” Lupian admits. 

Though when asked if she feels as if the game is as enjoyable as she believes it is. “I feel like it’s a pretty good event. Everyone’s able to go around with their friends and have a good time,” said Lupian.

While the game is fun, the cash prize is what most are after. Lupian stated, “I feel like a lot more people are taking it seriously just because of how high the pot is. It’s at $630 right now and probably growing.” Having said that, there are some external rules needed to be placed in order for students to win. 

To make the game fair for all, targets eliminated cannot be fully taken out of the game without proof of elimination, a video must be sent with evidence of the removal of a player. By either wearing goggles, pool floaties, or life vests, strategic players can boost their protection with immunity items, these items cannot be hidden. 

However this protection is nullified during the purge, a special event that makes the game an all out free for all, showing all locations of players. 

By introducing these strategies, Senior assassin is kept as a thrill only ending when the last dry senior remains. Jimenez remembered his first purge. It was the first night of the game and he managed to sneak up on a group of people in the final moments. 

“That first night, I got two people out,” he said. Though his biggest focus wasn’t the game, Jorge explained, “It was fun being able to see everybody outside and just really coming together for this game.”

He pointed out that the game has been able to make him see his classmates in a new way. “If we ever really wanted to, everybody could just get together, we could make a little community out of this.” 

In the end, the game is more about winning the money, this tradition fosters a unique and special sense of growth, creates excitement among the graduating class, and builds a community through student run events. 

For seniors, this game represents a bridge between the childhood they are leaving and the adulthood they are entering. These singular moments spark something bigger than creating memories, they build ties between graduating seniors. 

Within a game that makes others challenge each other, special emotional connections can be made with those you choose to grow with.