29 For the ninth year in a row Student Life has sponsored Ambush, a game where students and faculty receive the name of another person on campus and shoot them with a miniature water gun to “kill” them. The goal is to last as long as one can without getting shot. But there’s a catch. The last person standing wins. Sophomore Jonathan French is currently first in the standings with 9 kills. When asked how he feels about being in first, French said, “I have a commanding lead and people are a little scared and a little nervous. But I think it’s important to have a healthy dose of paranoia.” Junior transfer student Brad Comden would agree. “I’m doing better at handling the paranoia," he said. "It’s fun. Well, it’s paranoid fun.” Being in first isn’t all great though. According to French, “It’s good and bad. It’s like having a big red target on my back. I went into Oakwood on the first day and there were rumors going around that I had 14 kills and I was backstabbing my friends to get kills. And it wasn’t true.” There are two strategies to play the game: concentrate on shooting people or focus on not getting shot. While French plays by the former, Comden plays by the latter. “I would recommend leaving places at different times," said Comden. "Or you could always use a different entrance. Avoid people or have a bodyguard of people who aren’t playing that you can get to walk around you.” His advice shouldn’t be too hard since only 122 people signed up to play this year. It seems like a lot until compared to the fact that 137 people registered to play in 2013. There was an increase of players in 2014 with 153. Why is the playing field diminishing before the game even starts? The freshman class always represents a majority of the players. Since the incoming freshman class was smaller this year it makes sense that there are less players. Resident Director of Brenneman and Ramsayer Halls, Reed Lyons has been in charge of Ambush for three years. Since 2016 will be the tenth anniversary, he has some ideas to draw people back in. Reed says he is wrestling with multiple ideas like adding more water guns to the mix and involving more technology. “We want to add more narrative to the game," says Lyons. "Maybe we will try marketing on Facebook and put a video on the Bethel feed of a SuperSoaker hidden in a closet. Whoever finds it will be able to use it for the day. Or maybe we will give extra lives for attending other Student Life events." There is also the possibility of donating money for charity to get credits or different types of advantages. “We are looking for things to keep the game exciting. A lot of people get out on day one. It starts fast and then fizzles out,” says Lyons. This year, Ambush began on Monday, March 9, 2015. It always begins on the first day back after Spring Break. One would think that the game wouldn’t take the rest of the semester to end, but Lyons said otherwise. “Since I’ve been in charge of it, it’s never finished before Midnight Breakfast,” he said.
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