Role-ing with the Nerd Herd

Rob Cantor’s comedy song, “Actual Cannibal Shia LaBeouf” blasted in a private room of the Associated Students Organization (ASO) as the self-described “nerd herd” wildly sang and danced along before settling down to engage in one of the many role-playing games (RPGs) they have created. The group gathers multiple times a week in both the ASO room and the Great Hall to transform into their roles and work together to solve murder mysteries. The game they have created can be described as Dungeons and Dragons meets Scooby Doo laced with Beatles references. They follow a formal system of rules and guidelines while acting out roles within a narrative. The players refer to themselves as “advanced level nerds” and boast an achievement level of 37. Role-playing games give participants an opportunity to work together as a team and to express their creativity. Behavioral studies major and proud “nerd herd” member Jared Henderson explained, “I don’t make RPGs to escape reality… I make RPGs to create my own.”