ULM’s campus changed drastically Thursday evening. The university became the theater for its very own “Hunger Games.”

Students from all over traveled to defend their honor and fight to the “death.”

Based on the popular book trilogy and movie series, the games were hosted by the Wesley Center.

Molly Masters, a junior general business major, seemed optimistic about this year’s games.

“This year will be our second to last one but I expect more people this year due to its popularity,” said Masters, a junior business management major.

The games bring people from all majors together, including David Griffith.

“The purpose is an outreach to the campus to get to know people. I love doing these types of things,” said Griffith, a junior construction major.

The games last a total of 90 minutes where the contestants, or tributes, fight their way through three checkpoints while attempting to avoid getting paint smeared on their shirts, signifying death.

“It has grown some over the years and there’s more people from the various ‘districts’ of the campus,” said Knox, a senior communications major.

Each new checkpoint marked a place of safety in the wilderness of the ULM campus, but the checkpoints could not be guarded by contestants.

Knox admitted to a sick sort of glee in watching the contestants search for each checkpoint, while fulfilling his role as game maker.

“My favorite part of the games is seeing the challenges people face in finding the different checkpoints,” Knox said.

The games served as an opportunity for students to meet and connect with people from the Wesley, and while Knox enjoyed watching his peers fight to the bitter end, he also enjoyed greeting newcomers.

“I hope they know that they have friends in the Wesley and are always welcome here,” Knox said.

The Wesley will hold its fourth annual Hunger Games near the release of “Mockingjay: Part Two.”