Adam Pinkoski (right) and his U of A Hide & Seek Club track the students who participate in events based on age groups and faculties. What did they find? There is no one group that is attracted to hide-and-seek. The game appeals to everyone.
From navigating the maze-like hallways and secret rooms of the Biological Sciences Building to accidentally angering West Edmonton Mall security, hide-and-seek adventures have landed Adam Pinkoski, president of the U of A's Hide & Seek Club, in some strange situations. The third-year phys-ed student launched the group with some friends last September. Club members break into teams of hiders and seekers to compete against each other. Pinkoski hopes the club can eventually bring the university community together to break the world record for the largest game of hide-and-seek.
Q: What led you to start the club?
A: All five of our executives worked at the Telus World of Science in the summer. We were a cohesive group and we wanted to do something during the summer, so we started playing hide-and-seek. In the fall, we decided to make an official club on campus. We spent the entire month of September setting everything up, getting it in place, and it kept going. It's just fun. We thought hide-and-seek was the perfect game for everyone. Who didn't play hide-and-seek when they were younger?
Q: What are the campus rules?
A: We have the "10 commandments of hide-and-seek" - like no hiding in a classroom unless you get verbal permission or it's empty. If you're representing the club, you want to put your best foot forward. You have to abide by the student code of conduct and treat your school with respect.
Q: What makes a hiding master?
A: Talking to people. Chances are if people are in a campus building on a Friday night, they spend a lot of time there and know it well. For our game in HUB, someone showed our members a trap door in the floor of the Titan Lounge. We couldn't find a single person because they were all under the floorboards. My personal favourite is hiding by blending in. Some people grab newspapers and start reading them, hiding in plain sight.
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