My fraternity, Delta Upsilon, partakes in a game called Assassins.

I’ve learned that many groups on campus play a similar game, with varying rules. But beyond the slight dissimilarities, one general rule is accepted between all variations: trust no one.

How the game works (or at least the DU version of it) is as follows:

Every participant gets a target, which he needs to “assassinate” by hitting them with a tennis ball. There are safe zones — the DU house property, for instance — but, for the most part, there are rarely moments of safety, because the whole time I am hunting my target, I am also being hunted by another combatant.

I know the game is supposed to be light and fun, but there are moments when I wonder if this game is actually improving our fraternal bonds. The paranoia has been getting pretty intense, and I’ve heard that the game can last as long as winter break, so there is no telling when this will end. Unless, of course, I get assassinated, which doesn’t seem like a very unlikely outcome.

Till then, I have a tennis ball in my car, another in my backpack and another in my pocket at all times.

I know there’s a prize, so I’m telling myself it’ll be worth it–but that too, seems like a hopeless endeavor. I’m waiting for this all to be one big trick they play on the pledges.

Either way, if I think I see you pull out a tennis ball while walking down University Ave, you better keep your head down.