Last year, those lucky enough to survive will remember the swarms of red-bandana-clad zombies overtaking UW-Eau Claire in an event that many students called Judgment Day, the Zombie Apocalypse and Z-Day.

Those not infected had only their trusty tube socks and their impervious wits to battle the undead hordes. It all started with just one infected and before the end of the week, Eau Claire was lost. A few students still remain to this day to tell dire tales of the mistakes that were made over one year ago…

“It was really fun and I felt that we met a lot of new people by doing it,” sophomore Kelsey Aumann said.

Aumann’s roommate, Kate Koslowski, said she’s excited to start the zombie-ing.

“I’m most definitely looking forward to it this year,” Koslowski said.

OK, albeit a bit over-dramatic, the sock throwing, bandana shenanigans that is the zombie apocalypse is back this year starting tomorrow and crawling through to Halloween.

This year, the event is being held by the RECing Crew on campus, yet it will still remain the same game it was a year ago.

“I thought that zombie apocalypse would be a good way for people to get to know what we are and get people involved in recreational activities,” said Event Coach Alexander Lawler.

Lawler explained that tomorrow, one zombie (wearing a red bandana) will shuffle on to campus and begin to infect humans (who wear green bandanas). Once infected, the humans will swap out their green bandana for a red bandana and begin their quest
for brains.

Human players can defend themselves with socks. Hitting a zombie with a sock — either thrown or swung — will stun a zombie allowing the human to escape.

Lawler said there are rules for safety on the event’s Facebook page, so no one gets hurt.

So don’t take this too seriously.

“It was really fun to sneak up on people in the dark who didn’t know you were there,” Aumann said.

In order to make sure classes are not disrupted, the game can only be played outside of university buildings and on campus.

In case your roommate happens to become infected like Aumann’s did a year ago, you’ll still be safe indoors.

“Kate was a zombie and I was a human at the same time and that was really fun,” Aumann said. “We are together all the time so it was different.”

Those unhappy with being a stinky zombie won’t have to wait too long.

Lawler said that halfway trough the week an anti-virus (blue bandana wearer) will appear and he/she will be able to cure you of your appetite for flesh.

Lawler said last year the event took on a life of its own with humans and zombies organizing rallies and mini-battles on campus.

“Last year, we had a zombie run down the hill … so that when classes got out and people were heading up the hill, all the zombies flooded down the hill trying to get people and cornering them as they tried to walk up from their classes,” Lawler said.

If you are looking to get in on the zombie slaying or join the zombie mosh, bandanas are still on sale at the recreation office.

Don’t forget to aim for the head and always double tap.