College students volunteer as tributes for Kenyon Hunger Games — The Kenyon Collegian

My ft dragged as I approached the steps of Rosse Hall, the Kenyon Pealers’ melancholic notes ringing in my ears — the soundtrack to our imminent, inescapable reaping. I used to be one in all sixty college students who obtained an e-mail of their inbox inviting them to take part in Kenyon College’s third (generally) annual Hunger Games, and one in all 21 to point out up. 

The occasion got here from the thoughts palaces of Maud Karambis ’27 and Zady Hasse ’28 who, dressed of their best velvet fits, collectively took on the function of President Snow. Karambis defined, “Zady represents the more empathetic side of Snow, while I represent his more evil side.”

The concept got here to Karambis and Hasse a pair weeks in the past after they occurred upon a YouTube video from 2012 depicting previous Kenyon college students’ re-creation of the video games. Another video from the identical account revealed a video of Kenyon’s second Hunger Games a 12 months later, however the video games appeared to cease after that. Until now. 

As increasingly members started to trickle in, our Presidents Snow defined the principles. The video games would happen inside the boundaries of Old Kenyon and the Gates of Hell, although the “arena” would get smaller and smaller as the sport progressed. In order to get rid of one other tribute, gamers should efficiently steal the 2 ribbons tied to their individual — ribbons may very well be stolen by hand, or weapons may very well be used to hit a tribute’s physique, equating to the elimination of a ribbon (mentioned weapons consisted of plastic swords and Nerf weapons). 

After questions and clarifications, the reaping ceremony started, and every tribute’s title was plucked from a hole disco ball and browse mightily by Tuva Siegel ’28, the video games’ Effie Trinket. Each tribute would then method the Rosse steps, take part in a brief interview with the video games’ host Maddy Revzon ’27, our Caesar Flickerman, and obtain their ribbons.  

As we waited for our fates to be sealed, we seemed round at our fellow rivals, noting who is likely to be the best to kill and who needs to be prevented in any respect prices. Adele Cutler ’27 persuasively embodied the function of the reckless free cannon, making an attempt to sneak weapons into the video games and declaring to the group that she would “kill everyone.” Hearing this, I knew what I needed to do, and requested her if we might type an alliance. She surprisingly agreed. 

Once the reaping ceremony concluded, we made our technique to the science quad and shaped an enormous circle across the quad’s statue, which was surrounded by the weapons. Karambis and Hasse counted down from 10, after which all hell broke free. 

I selected to imagine that it wasn’t a scarcity of talent or power that led to me being the primary loss of life of the group — reasonably, my unconscious option to play badly in order that I might focus totally on writing this text. Which is precisely what I did. Boots on the bottom, pen in my hand, I spoke with as many tributes as I might chase down. 

I noticed this was greater than only a recreation after I got here throughout Paul Snyder ’27, who was brutally killed by none aside from his girlfriend of over a 12 months, Cutler. When I requested him about this act of backstabbing, he replied, “I’m feeling pretty betrayed, honestly.” In response, Cutler remarked, “You gotta do what you gotta do to win.” I feel it’s protected to say that Cutler and Snyder weren’t our Katniss and Peeta. 

While Cutler took an “every man for himself” method, TJ Andrews ’27 and her group of tributes proved that alliances may very well be worthwhile. Andrews partnered with Ia Sofia Cabre-Jockovich ’27, Kat Skillings ’27 and others, forming a ruthless woman group that collectively and efficiently preyed upon different tributes. “I’m always there to back up my alliance members,” Cabre-Jockovich shared. 

Thirty minutes into the video games, a delicate rain started to come back down, as if the Gamemakers themselves had turned a knob to intensify the already-high stakes. At this level within the video games, tributes had been dropping like flies. Molly Hunt ’27 was ambushed in a shock assault from Andrews, which resulted in her loss of life. Meanwhile, Skillings was a menace on the battlefield, brutally killing Cutler, Ava Genco-Kamin ’27, Maddie Barbar ’27 and Elise Hornsey ’29. 

The closing three tributes left standing had been Skillings, Cabre-Jockovich and Conrad White ’27. As the battlefield shrunk all the way down to the boundaries of the Science Quad, a small crowd of useless tributes and curious onlookers shaped to observe the ultimate battle scene. 

White’s downfall started when he left the bounds of the sector in an try to flee his imminent demise. The crowd cheered for Skillings and Cabre-Jockovich as they completed the job, killing White with a nerf bullet shot to the chest.

After efficiently eliminating White, it was unclear how allies Skillings and Cabre-Jockovich would proceed. All jaws had been on the ground when the 2 tributes charged at Presidents Snow, taking issues into their very own arms Katniss- and Peeta-style. The useless tributes joined in too, uniting on this revolt in opposition to tyranny.

Sweaty and spiritful, all tributes left the video games with smiles on their faces. “It just feels good to run around like a kid,” Luc Gilbreath ’27 reported. “It was a whimsical time.” 

The first place trophy? A one-of-a-kind Kenyon Hunger Games shirt with a drawn-on mockingjay that the majority undoubtedly is just not machine-washable (Skillings and Cabre-Jockovich can have shared custody). The participation prize? Memories of backstabbing and kinship within the South Campus enviornment that may final a lifetime.