How to Survive as Long as Possible in a Zombie Apocalypse
Celena Shen (ISB G11)
Celena is a professional movie watcher and a pandemic survivor.
Don’t characters in apocalypse movies always seem to be making the wrong choice? Why is it that instead of playing dead, one would scream when a killer walks over their body? Why do people always seem to stepping on sticks or cans when they need to be quiet? In this article, we will be discussing the best ways to survive a zombie apocalypse as well as avoiding the silly mistakes that characters in movies always seem to be making, assuming that you are an international student living in Beijing.
Go Shopping
It is important to ALWAYS stock up on food. There is almost always a scene in apocalyptic films where characters are scavenging for food. To avoid the chaotic rampage you are sure to encounter in the supermarket, you should always keep some canned goods in your pantry. However, a trip to the supermarket is almost inevitable, so it is best for you to go as soon as you hear about the apocalypse, preferably before zombies begin to roam the streets outside your driveway.
(Courtesy of World War Z)
When choosing which store to drive to, pick the one that is the closest yet furthest away from the city. This decreases the chances of having to fight your way through crowds or coming face to face with the walking dead. Once you arrive at your local store, take the following essentials: canned goods, bottled water, alcohol, first-aid kits, and supplies, such as batteries, matches, locks, walkie-talkies, ropes and knives. When picking out essentials, keep in mind that anything that needs refrigerating or cooking won’t last long as the heat, electricity, etc won’t be available within a week or so.
If you are now standing at the reception, wondering how in the world you are going to be able to pay for everything– don’t. Just run to your car, throw everything in the trunk, and drive off as fast as possible. There probably isn’t a point in paying as if you don’t leave with those supplies, you will probably die of hunger or infection.
Food will be the number one most essential item for one to survive in a long-lasting zombie apocalypse, and since you wouldn’t want to go wandering out with the zombies, it seems as if the only way to a prolonged source of food is to grow them yourself. This, however, won’t be a great idea as you will first of all, likely fail, but it will also be a waste of water. Speaking of which, you should fill up as many containers with water from the sink as possible before running water is no longer available. Once the water shortage begins, leave empty containers outside to catch rainfall, which you can boil for a few minutes then drink as well.
And while the guidance that our fellow friend, Douglas, proposes sounds quite good,
(Courtesy of Birdbox)
this is not strongly recommended as it would be hard to set up a ‘safe space’ in a larger and more foreign area, which brings us to step 2.
Arm yourself
Surprisingly and quite conveniently, if you search up “zombie-proof gadgets” on youtube, you will find a number of videos ranging from house traps to weapons. With the supplies that you have obtained from the store as well as any other tools that you may find in your kitchen, garden, or backyard shed, you should begin to assemble as many traps and weapons as possible. First, make sure to lock all of your doors, windows, and any other possible entrances to your house. Use furniture to barricade the doors and make sure to nail the windows shut.
(Courtesy of Alive)
Protection gear doesn’t have to be from a shop. Try to find leather jackets and boots, or you can make your own protection gear by duct taping magazines around yourself.
(Courtesy of Train to Busan)
A very important factor to arming yourself is studying the type of zombie that you are facing. This can easily be done by watching the news, going on social media, or from firsthand experiences. The four main factors that you should be aware of are
speed
contagiousness
intelligence
detection
Speed- how fast these zombies are will affect your
traveling vehicles
traveling frequency
weapons
Contagiousness- the contagiousness includes both how the infection spreads and how quickly one transforms into a mindless corpse.
Usually, zombie infections spread through any open wound. In this case, you should always wear thick clothing and probably even masks and goggles to prevent blood from entering you eyes and mouth.
Intelligence- knowing how intelligent the zombies are is critical to your survival. In most cases, they are only driven by the desire to eat your guts but in Alive, zombies kept their skills from when they were still alive. For instance, a fireman zombie was able to climb up a rope to a person’s window. Knowing how smart these creatures are will help with planning your travels, weapons, and traps.
Detection- depending on whether the zombies detect life through sight, sound, or smell, you may need to use different weapons and defense techniques.
Sight- zombies usually have poor vision, so you can use this to your advantage by traveling in the dark, using camouflage, or imitating a zombie
(Courtesy of Warm Bodies)
2. *Sound-
don’t use guns or cars unless there’s an emergency
3. *Smell-
don’t shower
cover yourself with dirt
(Courtesy of Warm Bodies)
Be quiet
Most zombies are attracted to sound more than anything else. Hence, while watching the news and calling relatives is highly recommended as soon as you have armed yourself and found a secure shelter, it is important to turn down the volume and turn off any alarms.
If a quick trip is needed, you should either go on foot or on a bike. These ways of transportation are much more convenient, quiet, and good for the environment in case society rebuilds itself one day.
A common misconception for zombie apocalypses is the use of guns. A gun is probably one of the loudest weapons you can use and additional training would be needed for one to effectively use it. For an uncoordinated teenager, you are better off with a bat or machete, which don’t need much skill or ammo.
Again, watching past movies and youtube videos before the internet is gone may actually help with coming up with techniques that will minimize the sound you make while completing daily activities.
Relocation
It’s been a few weeks or months of lockdown, and hopefully, by now, you’ve been rescued by the military. However, if you live in a rather rural area or if your government has fallen and no one is coming to save you, relocation would be needed. If your internet still magically works, locate any government bases or survivors, otherwise, try using your walkie-talkie or radio to connect with any survivors.
Depending on the severity of the apocalypse, your internet would have probably failed you by now.
Live and travel with small groups
It’s easier to be more alert and faster on your feet when traveling in small groups. This will also ensure that everyone has a strong bond with each other.
2. Transportation
The type of transportation used is something that needs heavy consideration. This will depend on the distance you’re traveling as well as the zombies you are facing.
Assuming that these zombies are attracted partially to sound:
Long-distance + fast zombies- armed cars/vans
Long-distance + slow zombies- cars
Short distance + fast zombies- bikes
Short distance + slow zombies- walking/bikes
3. Destination
a. Sea/lake - living on a yacht is a great idea, given that you can find one and have enough supplies. This is because zombies don’t have the motor coordination to swim in deep areas.
b. Rooftops - only go to rooftops if you know that government militaries are coming to your rescue.
c. Government/survivor bases- these are areas that have been built by the government or by other survivors that are heavily armed to defend those inside from zombies.
d. Military bases - even if military bases are deserted, it is a great place to hide as they would generally have a supply of weapons, food, and thick walls.
Save your last bullet
This guide is meant to help you survive for as long as possible; but when the time comes, you might have no choice left but to kill yourself. Thus, to ensure an almost painless death, save the last bullet for yourself.
(Courtesy of The Mist)
CelenaS