University Star

Intensity rises in The Quad every Wednesday night at Texas State.

Students are mingling and making friends, yet fraternizing with the enemy. As bandanas are passed to separate the teams, friends are slowly becoming villains.

Texas State has a newly approved group this year: Hide and Seek. Hide and Seek and similar group games are played from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Rachel Haverkorn, management senior, is the founder of Hide and Seek at Texas State. Haverkorn thought of the idea her freshman year.

“I started talking to people, and I eventually found some who were serious about it,” Haverkorn said.

Haverkorn received approval for Hide and Seek as an organization through Campus Activities and Student Orginization.

“Once I made the Facebook group for it, the idea blew up,” Haverkorn said. “There are usually a stable 40 people who show up every game.”

The boundaries of the game are from the Fighting Stallions to Old Main, and from the Bobcat Statue to the marquee.

“The game covers most of The Quad,” Haverkorn said.

The players wear bandanas – the hiders wear one color and the seekers another. Taggers try to acquire as many bandanas as possible. Each time a tagger finds a hider, he or she hands over their bandana. There is a system so every player eventually gets found.

“Everyone must sign in,” Haverkorn said. “At the end, I text everyone to make sure they are not lost.”

Logan Ahlemann, computer science freshman, said he has been playing since the first week.

Ahlemann said playing Hide and Seek is a way to get his mind off of school.

“It’s a stress relief,” Ahlemann said. “We aren’t confined to doing college stuff. I always have genuine fun, and I’m not at a party.”

Ruben Maldonado, undecided freshman, played for the first time Wednesday. He said the game brought back childhood memories.

“I always played as a kid,” Maldonado said. “I get really pumped to play this game.”

Maldonado was eager to hide, but not to seek.

“Hiding is the best part of the game,” Maldonado said.

Members said Hide and Seek is a game most people already know how to play because it is a popular childhood game.

“This is an organization that brings students together for a child-like cause,” Maldonado said.

Haverkorn said Hide and Seek is an easy way to meet other students at Texas State.

“I love recruiting and watching people reach out and make friends – anyone and everyone can play,” Haverkorn said.