If you happen to see zombies on campus in the next couple of weeks, don’t be alarmed.
Freshman Jesse Schmitt is organizing the first game of Gators Humans vs. Zombies for Thursday.
“I thought UF has got to have this kind of thing, and I have to get involved,” Schmitt said.
The game, known to its followers as HvZ, was invented in 2005 by Brad Sappington and Chris Weed at Goucher College in Baltimore.
The game consists of two sides, Humans and Zombies, in which the goal for the Humans is to survive the “Zombie outbreak.” If a Zombie tags a Human on campus, that Human becomes a Zombie, but to defend themselves, Humans can “stun” Zombies by hitting them with a sock or Nerf gun.
The game gained popularity after being featured on the “The Colbert Report,” in which Stephen Colbert deemed HvZ as the No. 1 threat to America.
It has since exploded onto college campuses across the nation and in other countries such as Denmark, Brazil and Australia. Some in-state schools to join the craze include Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida State University and University of South Florida.
Stephen Fitzmaurice, a moderator of the game, hopes HvZ becomes popular at UF as it has in other places in the world.
“I think it will most definitely catch on,” he said. “It’s our job to ensure that everybody has as much fun as possible and to help the game grow.”
A final rule meeting will take place Wednesday night at 7:20 in the Florida Gym, Room 210.
The game will take place on campus, but safe zones are restricted to academic buildings, libraries and the Reitz Union. Humans and Zombies will be identifiable by the bandannas worn either around their necks or heads.
Schmitt said more than 275 people have registered to play. Participants have to register online before they can participate in the group.
For additional information, visit the Web site at humansvszombies.org or its Facebook group, Gators Humans vs. Zombies.
