As spring rolls around and high school seniors count down the days to graduation, you may notice something strange happening in your neighborhood—groups of teens darting around with water guns, hiding behind bushes, crouching near cars, or even lying in wait on someone’s front lawn. Before you panic or assume the worst, let us introduce you to a long-running (and surprisingly organized) high school tradition: Senior Assassin.
What Is Senior Assassin?
Senior Assassin is a playful, often highly anticipated game that’s been popping up in high schools across the country for decades. The premise is simple: each participating senior is assigned another classmate as a “target” and must try to “eliminate” them by squirting them with a water gun. Once a student eliminates their target, they inherit that target’s next assignment. The game continues until only one player remains.
It’s All in Good Fun
While it may look a little chaotic from the outside, Senior Assassin is not dangerous. It’s all about sneaky strategy, harmless fun, and a bit of friendly competition. Players often team up, form alliances, wear goofy costumes for camouflage, or go to great lengths (and creative disguises) to avoid getting soaked. In our area, a player can stay "safe" by going shirtless (sports bras for the ladies) and wearing a pool floaty.
Rules vary by school and organizer, but most games have clear safety guidelines—such as no targeting at school, sporting events, or during work. And while water guns are the “weapon” of choice, they’re typically brightly colored and toy-like, making it clear this is just a game.
Why Are They Hiding in My Bushes?
Here’s the part where you, the unsuspecting parent or neighbor, might get involved—without even realizing it. Because the game rewards stealth and surprise, players sometimes hide on private property in an attempt to catch their target off guard. Yes, this may mean that one morning you find a teenager crouched behind your recycling bin, shirt off, clutching a neon-green water gun.
If this happens, don’t worry—and don’t hesitate to speak up. The unwritten (but widely understood) rule is this: if a homeowner asks players to leave, they must do so immediately and respectfully. The game is never meant to be disruptive or invasive. It’s just another quirky rite of passage for seniors enjoying their final semester before graduation.
What Should You Do?
You don’t have to do anything—but knowing what’s going on can help prevent confusion or concern. If you're uncomfortable with players hiding on your property, simply ask them to move along. If your own teen is a senior, you may want to check if they're participating and talk about safe and respectful gameplay.
And if you're feeling nostalgic or just entertained by it all, you might even enjoy watching the harmless antics unfold. After all, it’s one of those classic high school traditions that make senior year memorable—and a little wet.
And seniors, may the odds be ever in your favor!
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This article was written using the assistance of AI
