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Undead Take Over College Campuses

'Humans vs. Zombies' role-play lets students 'act like kids again'

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 28, 2009 3:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – Zombies are a growing scourge on college campuses, but fear not: They can be stopped with Nerf guns, pool noodles, or rolled-up socks. The game Humans vs. Zombies—“tag” for the 21st century—began at a college near Baltimore and has spread to some 50 campuses. “It really caught on to a degree that no one expected,” an organizer tells the Boston Globe.

But the game has sparked concern among those not in the know, disturbed by the sight of groups of kids in bandannas carrying giant fake guns. “In a post-Virginia Tech world, people very rightly take that kind of stuff seriously,” said a campus policeman. The game has even been banned at some schools. But, says a gleeful student, “basically, we get to act like kids again.”

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Nerf guns are key weapons in the game. (Business Wire)

"It's like a big psych experiment," says one Humans vs. Zombies organizer.

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You have video game-type scenarios that you are completing through the game, sort of like a fantasy world. You also have the exercise and adrenaline rush. It's a big release. - Keith Rood, UMass-Amherst

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Undead Take Over College Campuses