For many at SUNY New Paltz, the arrival of fall is not marked by sweaters, changing leaves or pumpkin flavored beverages, but by the annual week-long game of Humans vs. Zombies.

What is HvZ, you ask? On the surface, it's just a big game of tag. At the start of the week, a handful of players are selected to be Original Zombies (OZs). These zombies will then go out and scour the campus, trying their best to tag (zombify!) as many humans as they can.

Image credit: Danielle Pastore

(Sean, one of the OZs this semester, posing in front of the hoard.)

The humans on the other hand, must use their wits (and Nerf blasters) to survive as long as they can. Being a human means rethinking your entire daily routine: going to class turns into an epic journey and going to the dining hall for dinner becomes an impossible act of courage. Humans can defend themselves from zombies by hitting them with either a Nerf dart or a sock (any brand is acceptable). Successfully hitting a zombie causes them to be "stunned," which means that they cannot tag any humans for a timer of 15 minutes.

Image credit: Danielle Pastore

(A couple of veteran players on the human side. From left to right: Parker, who uses a duffle bag of socks as his weapon, Garrett, one of the head moderators, Nick, who is known more for his zombie skills, and Josh, wielding a crossbow with a blowpipe attached to it. This is an uncharacteristically simple blaster for Josh to be carrying.)

Here you have the basic rules of the game. So what's the big deal? Why do so many people go crazy over this for an entire week every semester?

Image credit: Danielle Pastore

(And why do people make such elaborate blasters? This one was made by Josh, a well-known Nerf modder. It's called The Glam Cannon.)

It's because Humans vs. Zombies is the quintessential hobby for nerdy college students. It's because every player can bring something special to contribute. It's because, within the game's basic framework, there is an incredible amount of room for self-expression and character development.

Everyone who plays the game is a part of the club and brings something of their own to the table. We have actors and directors who give the game a story with their clever and highly-self-aware video clips. We have makeup artists who dress up the zombies for the finale. We have a dedicated team of moderators who plan out each mission to be dramatic and action-packed. There are players who push the boundaries of the game with their inventive strategies: some humans craft their own blasters, some play only with socks and some play with only their feet, trying to survive purely by running away. Some players prefer being zombies and are notorious for their speed or their ability to lead a charge. Some players are just nice people who make the game better for everyone else.

Photo Credit: Humans vs. Zombies players forum

(Some humans will team up to form "squads." This one is the famous Banana Squad [and friends], who include some of the best players in the game.)

In short, Humans vs. Zombies gives its' players a little bit of everything. The game is a strange cross between theater and sport, and the experience of playing it is unlike any other hobby there is. Above all else, it fosters a community of friendly and respectful people who are easy to make friends with. Although there are rules to it, HvZ really only functions because of the superb sportsmanship of its players. In fact, one of the main principles behind the game is known as D.B.A.D, which stands for Don't Be A... well, Don't Be A Mean Person, basically. And while there may be a dispute about who-tagged-who every once and a while, the game's spirit of lighthearted fun is never called into question.

In the end, it's a pretty silly game. It may even be absurd. But no matter how strange it looks, it brings people together in a way that few other things can, and that's why I will always play Humans vs. Zombies.