Best New Student Organization: Cocks vs Zombies

FOR SOME USC STUDENTS, a game of infection may be a nostalgic rite of passage, but for others, it is a campus-wide brawl. The Best New Student Organization for Best of Carolina 2025, Cocks vs Zombies, combines elements of the classic game that we all know with their own rules in order to create something that all students can participate in.

“It’s just a way to relax and to have fun on campus,” Club President Gianna Mancine, a third-year biology student, said.

The game is simple. One person starts out as the “infected” or, in this case, the zombie. Their goal is to tag the other players in order to get them to join their team. The zombies continue to tag players on the other team, also known as the “cocks.” The game ends with one final game of tag when no cocks are left standing, and the zombies have tagged all of the players.

The two teams are marked by different color ribbons. This makes it easy to spot another player or even a student’s next target. Since there are no safe zones or time limits, everywhere on campus is fair game during any time of the day. A casual walk to class may just turn into a sprint to stay “safe” — and that is exactly what happened.

“We saw this one guy who had a red ribbon on his backpack…we were zombies at the time. As soon as he saw us, he started running,” Mancine said.

An academic semester may not be stress-free for all students. It is easy to get caught up in responsibilities such as homework, studying for exams or a job. Clubs like Cocks vs Zombies allow students to step back and have fun during the academic semester. It gives them a break from what might be a rigorous schedule.

At one point, the club consisted of Mancine and Vice President Jasmine Whitely, a first-year pharmacy student. Since then, it has grown from the ground up and now has over 100 players. What was once a small game for a few students is now expanding rapidly.

“I hope that it gets bigger…and that the whole campus gets to play,” Whitely said.

Mancine and Whitely’s goal of destressing students is demonstrated in their ability to place their own spin on a game that most may already know. Through their leadership, they have given an outlet to many students at USC to participate in a game that emphasizes strategy, teamwork and their own physical ability.

Students who are looking to join Cocks vs Zombies can join through GarnetGate or the club GroupMe. By next semester, who knows how many students are participating in the campus-wide game, Cocks vs Zombies.