Water guns, paranoia and betrayal- the Class of 2025 has turned their final months of high school into a battlefield. Senior Assassin, the unofficial senior tradition that has students stalking each other with water guns for glory (and a cash prize), has taken over the parking lots, homes, and even social media feeds of our school. In this student-run competition, seniors are randomly assigned “targets” to eliminate with a squirt gun.The last person standing wins a cash prize of $669.44.
Dedication runs deep for some players. “I waited outside my target’s house for 40 minutes at 7 a.m, I was late to school, but I got my target out in the end,” senior Srestha Sottalu stated.
Others have taken even more elaborate measures, “I’ve hid behind a girl’s trash can, I staged a promposal, I drove 30 minutes to her boyfriend’s lacrosse game- I’ll do anything,” said senior Ella Ugiansky.
Some students are embracing the thrill, while others feel the pressure. When asked who they were most afraid of, answers came quickly. “I’m most terrified of Wajahat,” senior Leah Klaus said. “ He’s one of the sweats of the game- he spends a lot of time and effort towards his targets.” Fear adds an extra layer of excitement, especially as the competition intensifies and the number of players drop.
But despite the fun, not everyone feels the game is being played fairly.
“100 percent- 1000 percent-there’s definitely been some bias,” senior Lucas Chavez noted.
“[My friend] was wrongfully eliminated, and the admin said he was out even though no water hit him in the video.”
Still, that hasn’t stopped students from developing detailed strategies to stay in the game and outsmart their targets. From planning ambushes to stalking social media activity, many are thinking several moves ahead.
“The best strategy is to be stealthy, check their location, wait until they are out in public and be somewhere they don’t expect,” senior Ellie Parris stated.
Even students who have already been eliminated say the experience was worth it. “ Honestly, I was out in the first week yet it still made school feel a little more exciting. I was caught off guard. I expected to last a little longer, but it was still fun while it lasted,” senior Emmanuel Kaudio stated.
As graduation approaches and the game draws closer to its dramatic finale, alliances are shifting, betrayals are happening daily, and every remaining player is feeling the pressure. “ I spent an hour and a half waiting under my target’s car- hoping to get her out after she clocked out of her shift. I lost valuable time. I just hope I can make it to the next round and win the cash prize,” senior Hamza Malik stated.
Whether you’re still in the game, already soaked or just watching, Senior Assassin has proven to be one of the most unforgettable parts of senior year. So if you see someone crouched behind a car or sprinting across the parking lot, don’t worry- it’s just another senior trying to survive one more day.