Swarthmore is truly a wonderfully weird place, with no shortage of quirky events and silly traditions. The Pterodactyl Hunt is no exception. Every year in October, campus is overrun with fearsome monsters and the dreaded pterodactyls, and it is up to brave Swatties to take campus back from these fiends. 

Here’s how my first pterodactyl hunt went.

In the weeks leading up to the hunt, posters began showing up around campus, warning of the approaching danger. The theme this past year was the wild west, and we were informed the pterodactyls were wanted dead or alive. When the day of the hunt finally came, flannel-wearing Swatties decked out in cowboy boots and hats showed up in droves to fend off the invasion. We all gathered in a room to receive a briefing of our mission, as well as guidelines for hunting pterodactyls and other monsters. 

First, we were given our “armor,” which was just a white trash bag with some holes cut in it for your arms and head to go through as well as a green glow bracelet. These were used to differentiate the good guys from the monsters, who wore black trash bags and purple bracelets. We also received our weapons (which were just plastic tubes covered with a pool noodle). 

And then we were off!

As soon as we stepped outside, monsters were roaming free all around us. We had to fight! I approached a monster and challenged it to a battle, and with a quick lunge, I slayed the beast with my sword. I collected its treasure and set off in search of my next challenge. In addition to slaying monsters, we also had various side quests to complete, such as plotting a train heist and helping a fellow cowboy come up with an impressive pickup line. By completing these quests and collecting enough treasure from monsters, we were able to buy better weapons from the shop and obtain a pterodactyl hunting license (because pterodactyls are an endangered species after all).

After numerous battles and quests, I was able to obtain a better weapon and eventually received my very own pterodactyl hunting license. With the proper permits secured, I was ready to face the dreaded pterodactyl. 

Or, maybe I wasn’t.

In my first attempt to slay the beast, I was hit with a blast of its toxic venom (from a super soaker) within seconds. It was then that I realized this would be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. After recovering from this setback, a group of fellow hunters and I devised a plan of attack to take down the pterodactyl. Our plan was foolproof, with contingencies for every possible move the pterodactyl could make. We set out ready to conquer our foe, yet even with our meticulous planning, we were still defeated within minutes. Accepting defeat, we let the pterodactyl continue to roam free for another day and went back to all the other fun that was happening around us. 

Being one of the first Swarthmore traditions I participated in, the pterodactyl hunt sure left quite an impression on me. The eccentric and over-the-top antics of this event reminded me of one of the reasons I chose Swarthmore, which is that this is a place where everyone is free to be themselves and have a whole community right there with them doing the same. While we were ultimately unsuccessful in hunting a pterodactyl, this was still one of my favorite Swarthmore traditions I have participated in, and I look forward to my rematch with the pterodactyl.