The Game of W&M
The Setup:
Welcome to the Game of W&M, where you will play through four years at the College of William and Mary. The game board is on pages 4-5 of this Tuesday’s print issue. To play, you will need a die from any other game, and a token for each player to move along the board. You’ll also need to print out the GPA, Housing, and Major cards from the website. Additionally, be sure you have a pencil and paper to keep track of your own score. The Honor Code applies. At the start of the game, you may choose either the Early Decision or Regular Decision route. From there, take turns rolling the die and follow the instructions on the board.
Blue Dots:
Each of the blue dots signifies another night spent studying in Swem — which is why there are so many all over the board — and requires you to add 5 points to your total.
Payment or Deposit Due:
Each time you land on one of these green spaces, you’re making another payment during your time at the College, so subtract 5 points from your score.
Housing:
Before you officially begin school, you will have the opportunity to choose your freshman dorm. Shuffle the housing cards and randomly pick out three potential dorms. From there, you can decide the building you will call home for your freshman year.
GPA:
At the end of your first semester at the College, you must choose your all-important GPA. Shuffle the GPA cards, choose three at random and then pick whichever one you want. If you aren’t quite satisfied, don’t worry, since there will be several opportunities to trade your GPA card with other players throughout the game. The person with the highest GPA upon graduation will get 10 extra points as a bonus.
Major:
It’s the end of sophomore year, which means it’s time to officially declare your major. In the same way you picked your housing and GPA, shuffle the Major cards, choose three at random and then pick the subject you’d like to study. Several spots on the board will also allow you to change your major if you decide that your initial choice is just not right for you. At the end of the game, Neuroscience and International Relations majors receive 10 points each, Computer Science majors receive 8 points, Design Your Own majors receive 5 points, Theatre majors receive 3 points, and Philosophy majors receive 1.
The End of the Game:
Congrats! You’ve finally made it to Commencement. The first person to reach the end of his or her college experience receives 10 extra points as a reward. Once everyone has reached the finish line, add up your points. The player with the most points is the winner, and gets to move to Washington, D.C. and begin their new, well-paying career in the city. Everyone else, unfortunately, has to move in with their parents.
Print these cards and cut them out:
