University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt

The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt (or Scav Hunt, colloquially Scav) is an annual four-day team-based scavenger hunt held at the University of Chicago from Thursday to Sunday of Mother's Day weekend in May. The list of items, usually over 300 items long, encompasses cryptograms, competitions, build challenges, a 3 course meal, and a 2,000-mile (3,200 km) road trip. "Scav Hunt" is well known for its quirky, strange, and impossible items.[1] Scav held the Guinness World Record for largest scavenger hunt from 2011 to 2014.[2]

Qwazy Quad Rally, Scav Hunt 2005, item #38.

Format

The Scavenger Hunt is held annually over four days in May, such that the final day's judgement of items is on Mother's Day.[3]

List release
The first floor of Ida Noyes Hall minutes before the release of the 2014 (1) Scav Hunt List (in 2013).

"The Hunt" begins ceremoniously at midnight of the Wednesday preceding Mother's Day weekend, with an event known as "List Release."[4] The ceremony surrounding the unveiling of the list usually begins a few hours before midnight, as teams slowly assemble on the ground floor of Ida Noyes Hall. These teams (ranging in size from 1 to over 250 each) then participate in what has been described as collective effervescence, as they chant various team-based and humorous slogans, eventually coalescing into a repeated "we want the list".[5][6] Then, at midnight, the judges (members of the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Organizing Committee) run into the center of this gathering, and announce that year's list release challenge.

Each challenge is designed to delay teams in acquiring a paper copy of that year's list of approximately 300 items. Previous examples have included the pages of the list buried under sand at a nearby beach, team captains kidnapped and forced to transcribe items onto their bodies with Sharpies, and copies of the list suspended from a wall six feet high ten feet away from a team representative, because "the floor is lava."[1] Once a team has obtained the list, they travel back to their headquarters (usually a dorm lounge or apartment living room) to begin working on the list of items. Several hours after the release of the list the judges publish it online (usually around 3:00 A.M. CST on the Thursday of the Hunt), thus making it available for teams unable to attend "List Release."[7]

The List

Every year, teams attempt to complete items from a list of approximately 300. Each item is written, assigned a point value, and put onto the list by a panel of judges known as the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Organizing Committee. The list has, since 1997,[8][9] been formatted in LaTeX and released online in PDF and the original LaTeX formats at 3:00 A.M. CST on the Thursday of the Hunt.[10]

Since 2006,[11] the list has begun with a set of official rules, including:

  1. "Acquisition of Items. All items on the List can be obtained and performed legally. It may involve smooth talking, or it may involve something else, but it is all possible. The Judges take no responsibility for your getting thrown into the clink—be it local clink, state clink, federal clink, or Colonel Klink. If you end up there, it is your fault."
    • This rule is said to have been put in place as a response to the 1999 item to build a nuclear breeder reactor which had legal repercussions.
  1. "Props. All props must, always and forever, be mad props."
  1. "A Good Time. For a good time, call (202) 762-1401."

After the official rules, a list of qualifying factors for the road trip portion of the scavenger hunt is included. These qualifying factors have been included in the list at the behest of UChicago's Center for Leadership and Involvement (the governing body for registered student organizations) since 2006.[11] The road trip, itself, though, has been a part of the Hunt since 1991.[14]

After the road trip qualifications, all "Scav Olympics" events are listed. These are original competitions designed annually and held on Eckhart Quad Saturday afternoon of the Hunt.[15] In 2015, for each event, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place were worth 20, 15, and 10 points respectively, while 5 points were awarded to "(3 < x ≤ ∞)th place."[16] After the list of "Scav Olympics" events, there are occasionally special lists, such as wedding-associated items in 2015,[17] and "Scav All-Stars" items from 2004 to 2006.[18]

Finally, following the above sections, is the list of all general category items. Item lists are broken up into pages, with one or several judges contributing to the items on each page.

Archive of Previous Scav Lists
Year List Other Documents
1987 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1987.pdf
1988 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1988.pdf
1989 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1989.pdf
1990 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1990.pdf
1991 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1991.pdf
1992 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1992.pdf
1993 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1993.pdf
1994 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1994.pdf
1995 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1995.pdf
1996 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1996.pdf
1997 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1997.pdf
1998 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1998.pdf
1999 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/1999.pdf
2000 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2000.pdf
2001 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2001.pdf
2002 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2002.pdf http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2002-Abductees.pdf
2003 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2003.pdf
2004 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2004.pdf
2005 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2005.pdf
2006 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2006.pdf
2007 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2007.pdf
2008 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2008.pdf http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/VegasBaby.pdf
2009 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2009.pdf http://apps.wbez.org/blog/?p=3417
2010 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2010.pdf
2011 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2011.pdf http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/GBWR/Rules.pdf

http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/GBWR/KeyA.pdf

http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/sumter/

2012 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/scavlist2012.pdf
2014 (1) http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/list2014final.pdf
2014 (2) http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/list2014_2final.pdf
2015 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/list2015_final.pdf
2016 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2016.pdf
2017 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/list2017.pdf
2018 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2018List.pdf
2019 http://scavhunt.uchicago.edu/lists/2019.pdf

Road trip

Road trip, one of the more original elements of the hunt, is constrained by several factors. The furthest destination may be no more than 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from Chicago and the trip must be completed between 8 a.m. Thursday morning and Saturday night.[19] Additionally, road trip is completed with participants wearing ridiculous costumes. Items for the road trip are scattered throughout the main list.

Drivers on the road trip are held to the following requirements:

  • Minimum age of 18.
  • Must have had a valid U.S. driver's license for at least two years.
  • Must have more than 2,000 miles (3,200 km) driving experience.
  • Cannot have received any moving violations or convictions or court-ordered supervision.
  • Must be alcohol and drug free.
  • Must have valid automobile insurance.

Friday night event

On the Friday Night of the Scavenger Hunt, there is usually a large themed event held in one of the gathering spaces on campus. In recent years, this event has been a wedding,[17] a sleepover party with pillow and blanket forts,[20] and a prom dance.

Previously, this event took the form of a large party held on the main quads attended by scavenger hunt participants and nonparticipants alike.[21] Usually, this party involved a theme. Each team would design their own section of the party with drinks and attire adhering to this theme.

This long string of parties ended when, in 2006, during a particularly bad storm, the party was moved inside Cobb Hall. The theme that year was "visions of the future." ORCSA, the university administration body responsible for overseeing the Hunt, shut down the party due to intoxicated participants and alleged property damage.[22]

Items

Items on the list include codes and cypher, large scale construction and engineering projects, performances, unusual sports, and difficult to acquire objects. Some items require connections to accomplish such as: get your Scav team a shout out on the news, get a flag on the North Pole, or reach the lowest elevation possible (the winning elevation was reached in a submarine).

Showcase

Each year there are a handful of particularly large point items. There have typically been three showcase items per list in the recent past. These items are typically over 100 points each, but in the past it was not unusual for an individual item to be 500+ points. These items are judged in competition between the teams and points are awarded according to the ranking.

Notable items
  • "A periodic coffee table. (25 points plus 1 point per element included)"[23]
  • "A real live, breathing elephant. (500 points)"[24]
  • "A breeder reactor built in a shed, and the boy scout badge to prove credit was given where boy scout credit was due. (500 points)"
    • This was on the 1999 Scav list, and the item was successfully completed by Justin Kasper and Fred Niell, students on the Burton-Judson team.[25] The team only came in second place that year.[26][27]
  • "A zeusaphone. (300 points)"[28]
  • "A Stradivarius violin, viola or cello. (90 points for a violin, 125 points for a cello, 150 points for a viola)"

History
A Scav participant wearing a suit of armor made of sponges during the 2010 hunt

Scav Hunt was founded in 1987 by Chris Straus, who organized the list and judged items collected by other residents of Hitchcock house, with Cassie Scharff, Diane Kelly, and Nolan McCarty.[1][29][30]

Perhaps the most notable item that has yet been completed was from the 1999 list; a breeder reactor in a shed was successfully built in front of Ida Noyes Hall.[31] The item itself was a joke referring to the "Radioactive Boy Scout" David Hahn. The students irradiated thorium with thermal neutrons and observed traces of uranium and plutonium.[32]

In 2002, Scav Hunt was the subject of a documentary titled The Hunt.[33] The 2007 Scav Hunt was also the subject of a documentary, Scavengers.[34]

The Scav Hunt formerly held the Guinness World Record for largest scavenger hunt.[2] To obtain the record, the Judges organized a miniature scavenger hunt during the 2011 Hunt.[35] The smaller event was required to meet the Guinness World Record definition of a scavenger hunt. The Scav Hunt has since been officially surpassed for the title of the world's largest scavenger hunt by "Passport to Provo," an event organized by Provo and Google.[2]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Hunt was held virtually.[36]

Judges
Enormous googly eyes attached to Harper Memorial Library during the 2011 hunt

The Scavenger Hunt committee is a registered student organization at the University of Chicago. The committee is made up of judges, those who make the list and determine item completion, and non-judges, who help with other administrative tasks. Judges are known as "Hot Side Hot" while non-judge members are known as "Cold Side Cold".[37]

The list is compiled solely by the panel of judges, though the panel also organizes other aspects of the Scav Hunt. Judges begin compiling the list after the end of each Scav Hunt weekend, and continue to add items throughout the year. Members of the panel are sworn to secrecy on the contents of next year's list.

Any University of Chicago student with a GPA above 0.5 may apply to be a judge.[37] Potential judges submit applications consisting of a questionnaire and a sample list of 30 items. Applicants are chosen to interview with the existing judges based on merit. New judges are often previous team captains or perennial participants of the Hunt. Actual methods of judge selection, however, are kept secret. Fragments of the sample lists of the newly chosen judges are often added to next year's list. Applications for new judges open at the beginning of October. New judges are selected by the end of the calendar year. Judges are appointed for life, but are required to maintain eligibility to join a student organization to remain active.[38]

The head judge, known as the Scavenczar, is appointed at the end of the Scavenger Hunt each year. He or she oversees the planning and execution of the next Scav Hunt, until his or her successor is named.[37]

References
  1. Marx, Patricia (2 July 2012). "The Hunter Games". The New Yorker. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  2. Baker, Sierra (16 September 2014). "Provo breaks record for world's largest scavenger hunt". The Universe. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  3. Peregrin, Tony (7 May 2013). "U. of C. Scavenger Hunt tests students' brain power". RedEye. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  4. Cromidas, Rachel (3 May 2011). "University of Chicago Scav Hunt: Participants in the U. of C.'s 25th annual Scav Hunt try to set a Guinness world record". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  5. "Event: The 2014 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List Release". The College of the University of Chicago. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  6. McVea, Andrew & Hauck, Grace (11 May 2015). "Scav Inspires Student Creativity and Matrimony". The Chicago Maroon. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  7. "SlashDot Article". Rick Vugteveen. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  8. "The 1996 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List" (PDF). The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Committee. 5 May 1996. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  9. "The 1997 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List" (PDF). The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Committee. 11 May 1997. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  10. "Scav Hunt Current List". The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Organizing Committee. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  11. "The 2006 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List" (PDF). The University of Chicago Organizing Committee. 11 May 2006. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  12. "USNO Master Clock Voice Announcer". United States Naval Observatory. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  13. "USNO Master Clock — Naval Oceanography Portal". Usno.navy.mil. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  14. "The 1991 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List" (PDF). The University of Chicago Organizing Committee. 11 May 1991. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  15. Dries, Kate (9 May 2011). "Who brought the tiger? Photos/videos inside the UofC 'Scav Hunt'". WBEZ. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  16. "The 2015 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List" (PDF). The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Organizing Committee. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  17. Cholke, Sam (8 May 2015). "'Scavwedding' Highlights Annual U. of C. Scavenger Hunt". DNAinfo. Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  18. "The 2004 All-Stars Scav Hunt List" (PDF). The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt Organizing Committee. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  19. http://chicagomaroon.com/2013/05/17/dispatches-from-the-scav-road-trip/
  20. Rhee, William (29 October 2014). "Scav: Past and Present". The College of the University of Chicago. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  21. Yang, Mimi (9 May 2008). "Scav Hunt festivities consume campus". The Chicago Maroon. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  22. Brown, Aaron (16 May 2006). "Scav Hunt party in Cobb shut down". The Chicago Maroon. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  23. "ScavOlympics" (PDF). Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  24. "The 1997 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt List". Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  25. "2005 Scav Hunt".
  26. Gary Wisby (15 May 1999). "UC junior wraps up 'Jeopardy!' college title". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 1.
  27. Andrew Bluth (19 May 1999). "On Campus: It's that season at Chicago, and Ph.D.'s have taken a back seat to a degree of silliness". New York Times.
  28. "The 2008 University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt list" (PDF). Retrieved 12 May 2012.
  29. "Secret History: What do the Senior Class Gift and Scav Hunt have in common? Christopher Straus, LAB'84, AB'88, MD'92, tells all". The College of the University of Chicago. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  30. "Scav: Past and Present". college.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  31. "Items". Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  32. "In Chicago, Ph.D.'s Take a Back Seat to a Degree of Silliness". Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  33. "The Hunt". Retrieved 22 February 2012.
  34. "The Searchers". Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  35. Dries, Katie (7 May 2011). "In its 25th year, University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt breaks a world record". Chicago Public Media. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  36. "After move online, Scav Hunt teams focus not on what's lost, but found".
  37. "Bylaws". The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  38. "About". The University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
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