With around 700 clubs and organizations to participate in, FSU is home to various unusual clubs that can range from academics to pure entertainment. One of these organizations is our very own Survivor Club.
What is ‘Survivor?’
If you’re unfamiliar with the series, Survivor is one of America’s most popular reality TV shows. It has spanned over 47 seasons and is currently in production for season 48. The show consists of 16 to 20 contestants left on an isolated island to compete for $1 million.
These competitions start with randomly selected teams. The team that loses the team challenge has to vote off a member. Slowly but surely, after the teams narrow down between 10 and 12 members, a merge occurs, eliminating teams and leaving every contestant to fend for themselves.
The winner of the solo competitions obtains “immunity,” while the final contestants fight amongst themselves to vote each other out. As people get voted out, they enter the “jury,” where they vote for the winner, who is decided once the final three contestants remain. The final three plead their cases to the jury before they vote. Of course, the reality show is filled with hidden rewards like secret idols and twists, but this remains the primary format of the game.
FSU ‘Survivor’
If you’re curious like me, you’re probably wondering how we could have our own version of Survivor on campus. So, I spoke with FSU Survivor Club’s equivalent of Survivor host Jeff, Kyle Geoghagan, to find out how this club works. Spoiler alert: you don’t actually go to Fiji.
FSU’s Survivor Club records their seasons and is available on YouTube! Contestants must go through an application process of questions and a self-recorded tape to be eligible for competition. Kyle and I began our conversation by discussing what the application process looks like for potential contestants:
Her Campus (HC): What type of people are chosen to be competitors after completing their application?
Kyle Geoghagan (KG): We choose people who we feel are the most compelling and competitive and can produce an intriguing story. We want people who know the game and will create an entertaining season! Not knowing the game well won’t deter you from getting on the season; we just think it helps with the gameplay.
HC: Does the competition aspect of FSU Survivor work like the television show?
KG: Yes, the competition aspect is precisely like the television show! There is a “pre-merge” phase and a “merge” phase. Lastly, the final stage is where the power in the game shifts from the players to the jury, who will ultimately decide the Sole Survivor. We hand-pick the cast from our applicants and do our best to ensure the tribes are as even as possible.
HC: What does the process of creating challenges look like, and what are some examples from season five?
KG: Due to budget constraints, we must get creative with challenges. We utilize cheap things like red-solo cups, ping pong balls, and cardboard. But we want the players to have a good time and feel like they’re playing a real game of Survivor.
We try to replicate real challenges from the show and stay on theme for that specific season. As we’ve increased production help and budget, we’ve gotten higher-quality challenges. This season was our best yet, especially regarding challenges.
We made a few challenges out of wood and painted them, which turned out fantastic. It’s just us club members volunteering our time to meet, brainstorm, create, and build! Some examples are Michelle’s tiered puzzles and colored ball puzzles from season 35.
HC: Where do the filming and competitions take place on campus?
KG: We’ve filmed four or five seasons on the FSU campus. We’ve filmed at Bellamy and the Student Services Building (SSB), and a combination of both. It boils down to scheduling and getting rooms booked over the weekend. Since they’re all-day games, they must be on consecutive Saturdays and Sundays. The one season we did not do on campus was “Season 2: Paradise Park” at Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee.
HC: What does the scheduling look like for competitors, and what times should people expect to compete?
KG: Every season is different in terms of scheduling for the competitors. It depends on our plans for challenges, twists, merges, or tribe swaps. Sometimes, it may take longer to set up one challenge than another, so the players may have longer downtime.
On average, players have about 15 to 25 minutes between challenges to strategize, formulate, and plan for their next vote. It’s a very fast-paced game, so it goes straight from challenge to strategy time, from tribal council to the next challenge. Even with this fast-paced schedule, we end up with 10-hour days.
We typically start the game at noon since that’s when we can first get into the rooms on the weekend, but we ask players to get there earlier for things like cast photos and intros.
HC: How was your experience in your role this season?
KG: My experience for season five was fantastic! I did most of the challenge planning and building and “Jeffed”(hosted) the season. I had a lot of fun finding the perfect challenges for this season and being able to host and do my best impression of Jeff. The mix of a great cast, twists, challenges, and gameplay from our players made this season shine!
HC: What should people expect to see this season, and why should they watch it on YouTube?
KG: For this season, people should expect to see intriguing players, interesting and strategic gameplay, and fun-themed challenges and twists that keep the viewers engaged! We have it all this season with thrilling storylines, betrayals, heroes, villains, blindsides, and votes you’d never expect to see coming!
Season 5: Players vs. Pawns
Even if you don’t want to participate, watching the episodes recorded is a fun and engaging way to get invested in the club! They offer watch parties as they release filmed episodes and seasons to keep up with FSU students’ journey.
Currently, FSU Survivor‘s first two seasons are available to watch on YouTube! If you want to keep up with the club, you can tune in to watch the brand-new players compete in season five, “Players vs. Pawns.”
FSU Survivor Club is the perfect example of an underground club with many ways to participate, from filming to competing. After speaking to Kyle, it’s clear that everyone in the club has a shared passion and investment for Survivor! Check out this club if you’re interested in new and thrilling ways to get involved on campus and build new friendships!
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