Being single on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a bad thing, especially if you’re shooting at other singles with lasers.
The Laser Quest at 1980 Eglinton Ave. E. provides a solution to cure those Valentine’s Day blues. The Forever Alone Overnighter is an event that features a group of people who play multiple games of laser quest over the course of a night.
The Overnighter that took place the night of Feb. 11 was the most recent installment in a monthly tradition that is starting up at this location. The event was named after the infamous “forever alone” meme, a comic character representing the idea of being alone, that has taken the Internet by storm.
“This [overnighter] is somewhat anti-Valentine’s [Day] themed,” Laser Quest employee Ryan Shoot said. “We kind of took the meme base and brought it into an overnighter, which allows us to bring in a different crowd. [It is a] good time. I’m really excited.”
The event began at 11 p.m., where a group of people play laser tag over night, and ends at six the next morning. Shannon O’Neill, who also works at Laser Quest, said it is the energy radiating from other players that helps keep her going.
“Around 3 a.m. you [think] ‘why do I have to do this.’ [It is] usually [when] people get [their] second wind that you also get yours [and you are] like ‘okay, let’s go!’” O’Neill said.
“It’s kind of one of those things you are scared to come out to. But once you do come out it’s a great time.”
– Ryan Shoot
The overnight event allow fans of the game to experience it in a new way. Instead of playing one or two games, multiple games are played throughout the night. But the game can sometimes be intimidating, especially for new players.
“It’s kind of one of those things you are scared to come out to,” Shoot said. “But once you do come out it’s a great time because you think that you are going to be super tired the entire time, but once you’re playing for hours on end you get really energized.”
For Andrea Markovic, a first time attendee at one of Laser Quest’s overnighters, staying up all night was not an issue.
“I never thought I’d make it all night because I had been up since 8 a.m. because I go to school on Saturdays,” she said. “But for some reason I had no problem staying up. I don’t know if it was the adrenaline rush or if I’m just crazy.”
This Laser Quest location has been trying to make these overnight laser tag games a monthly event, each with a different theme.
“Well, we are trying to get it to one a month,” Shoot said. “The last one we did on New Year’s was pretty sweet. New Year’s overnighter at laser quest, where else would you want to be?”
Another of the themes they have tried is a Harry Potter one, which was successful in the past.
“We had two Harry Potter overnighters which were a lot of fun, just because everything from the second you walked in to the moment you left was Harry Potter themed,” O’Neill said.
But no matter what theme the event tailors to, those who participate are left with lasting memories.
“I loved going [to the overnighter],” Markovic said. “I just had a lot of fun even though I’m not the best at aiming and got the lowest (or close to it) score every time. I’ve never been to any other overnighters, but I’d definitely go again and bring more people!”