After Hours laser tag event proves popular

The K-State Student Union was the site of a laser tag arena on Friday night, as the Union Program Council hosted an after-hours event that allowed students to play a friendly game of laser tag.

Walking into the Union, students could hear music and see a long line of students waiting to play. Students packed the upstairs area of the Union, most wearing black clothing in order to stay concealed once inside the course.

The laser tag course was set up using the entire Union ballroom, which was loaded with black lights, loud music, and screams of excitement coming from students running around with red or blue laser vests and guns.

"It was set up like a paint-ball arena and there were things to hide under and jump over, kind of like an obstacle course," said Shannon Kellish, freshman in animal sciences.

UPC was able to draw over 350 students to the event, including international students.

"We saw the posters in our dorm," said Shaun Hutchinson, international student from Australia in politics and business. "Laser tag was pretty hard, but fun."

Laser tag officially began at 8 p.m., and 15 minutes later, there was a huge line from the second floor to the first floor of the Union to the first. At that point, there was a two-hour wait to play.

"It's worth the wait because it's fun and something new," said Taylor Stackley, freshman in chemistry and anthropology.

Event co-chair and sophomore in interior design Hillary L'Ecuyer said, "It's an awesome game, and after they were done setting up, we got to play a round of laser tag as a test run. It was awesome."

Students signed up with teams of five people and two teams, red and blue, were allowed on the course at a time. Each time a player successfully hit another play, their vest would say, ‘nice shot,' but every time they were hit, their vest vibrated. Each session was five minutes long and players' scores were posted on a large screen at the end of a session.

"I was trying to communicate with my teammates, but the music was so loud," said Alexander Crownover, junior in architectural engineering and one of the first laser tag players of the night.

Some students came just to have fun and play, but others had strategy for their team.

"Send a decoy wide left then flank them hard from the right, and blast them into submission," said Cole Gardiner, freshman in animal science.

Each Friday, the UPC hosts an After Hours event as a substance-free activity for students.

"The UPC does a great job putting on After Hour events and this one is sure a success. There are tons of students here," said Nate Spriggs, student body president and senior in food science and agriculture economics.

The After Hours event for Feb. 10 is "Valentine's Day on a Budget." UPC will provide a variety of romantic activities, including carriage rides around campus.

"It all begins downstairs in the Union next Friday at 8 p.m," L'Ecuyer said.

For more information about upcoming events, visit k-state.edu/upc/index.htm.