by Ranjie Nocete | February 8, 2022
Watching the currently trending Korean drama “All of Us Are Dead” prompted me these very rational and relevant questions:
- “How could I survive a zombie apocalypse?”;
- “Where would I hide?”;
- “What should I do first?”; and
- “Would I have someone to ka-holding hands with?”
After an embarrassing amount of pondering, I realized that I would rather be a zombie. But for the fun of it, let’s play out this unrealistic and impossible scenario in our beloved university. If the zombie apocalypse happened in Silliman University, what exactly should we do to increase our chances of survival?
First, let’s assume that the zombie infestation starts in the middle of the day at Silliman University Medical Center. You’re in the middle of a lunch break with friends at your favorite kiosk when your phone starts ringing excessively from notifications. Just in — the zombie apocalypse has begun.
Just run
This is a no-brainer. The moment you find out, run away and make sure it’s nowhere towards SUMC.
Find a group of people to stick by
There is truth in the common phrase “strength in numbers”, especially in this scenario. But don’t pick just any people. Choose those that can benefit your journey to survival. These are some types of people to take note of:
Leaders — you need someone who can lead the group into making strategic and rational decisions without getting clouded by emotions.
Athletes — they are the essential type of people in your zombie survival squad. You won’t get very far without physical strength.
The girl or boy scout — you’re going to need someone on your team that is always ready no matter what. They will be the friend who always has a fully charged power bank and load which is essential since external communication can only be done digitally.
Rich kids — there’s no way a wealthy or high-ranking individual would leave their child stranded in a zombie-infested university, stick to these people for assurance that you will be saved; and lastly,
Your crush — in this scenario, there’s no guarantee any of you would even survive and you can’t risk not being able to confess first, right?
Gather water, food, and other necessities
With your “zombie squad” assembled and ready for the apocalypse, you need to find water, food, and other necessities that can aid your journey such as flashlights, lighters, and more things that I can’t think of right now (I’m not an expert). Find your nearest convenience store and make it quick. If you can’t do this, just run and find a place to hide where these commodities are available.
Hide and secure location
Now comes the most important part — your hiding spot. Your hiding spot is crucial in determining your stakes for survival. Silliman is a big university, which means there are numerous places to hide in. After much thought, these places would be the most ideal locations to seek refuge:
Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium
- The gorgeous auditorium is soundproof and thus no zombie can hear you once inside. Additionally, this building is so spacious, and in case they enter, the elevated seats can serve as an obstacle, slowing down the enemy. In case you want to lure zombies in and leave, there are also speakers outside Luce which will be great in buying time for you to escape.
The closest canteen / cafeteria
- This is a great hiding place because your basic needs — water, food, and comfort rooms — will be covered. You can use the tables and chairs as a blockage for the doors.
Silliman University Gymnasium
- The gym is a uniquely great place to hide. As seen on “All of Us Are Dead”, you can use gym equipment such as baseball bats, balls, tennis racquets, and more as weapons against the living dead. Additionally, the gym is a spacious and enclosed location, which means that it’s easier to build fortifications. It is also equipped with comfort rooms which is an important factor in this scenario.
Silliman University Elementary School (SUES)
- The SUES campus is a great location for the long haul and building a community with the remaining humans. The elementary campus is complete with an agricultural garden, a canteen, comfort rooms, lots of classrooms, a library, a computer room, a three-story building, a covered court, and even a stage. It has all the essentials except you will need to drive the zombies out and fortify the location for your new community.
Additional tips
I was heavily frustrated watching “All of Us Are Dead” seeing that they were running from place to place without any protection whatsoever. When doing so, always put on some sort of armor to protect yourself from zombie bites.
Another important tip is that if you set out to survive, you have to go all out physically and mentally. There is a huge possibility that you will see your closest friends, your family, and your classmates as zombies. Don’t let it affect you.
One more strategy for your survival is to drive away. Hop on a car and head to the mountains, or you could just become a zombie.
