He waits behind the bush, water gun in hand, for a footstep, a twig snapping, anything. He’s hoping for a chance to take down his target, to make a move in this seemingly endless dance of cat and mouse. The door opens, expectedly, and the game begins.

It sounds like the beginning of a war or a horror story. But for seniors, it’s a treasured, once in a lifetime experience.

Students who have overheard or asked someone about their senior water tag stories have heard the same stories: all-day camp-outs, midnight manhunts, and their inevitable demise. While it is certainly a fun tradition that our seniors get to participate in, these games also endanger our students and our community.

Seniors act unusually and irresponsibly while playing senior water tag. While this might seem fun to them, it certainly might be an inconvenience to others. 

Often these antics involve cars, which can easily go horribly wrong, not only for our seniors but for anyone unlucky enough to get in the way. Neighborhood roadsides might be blocked because neither senior is willing to move their car and lose their spot in senior water tag. Intersections become dangerous when they become a convenient spot for seniors to complete their mission. And not only are the students a threat to bystanders, but bystanders might also be a threat to our students, as masked persons running through streets with water guns might worry neighbors.

Students should be careful when participating in senior water tag, as injury is most certainly possible. Instead of acting irresponsibly, students should try to keep their surroundings in mind while playing. They should keep both themselves and any bystanders safe, so that future classes can enjoy senior water tag.