‘I swear we’re all just kids’: Influencer transforms college campus into a playground by kickstarting a game of tag

A little bit of pure, uninhibited joy is a balm on the soul, and TikTok user @sir_gabriel24 has made it his life mission to “spread good vibes.”

He’s wholesomely succeeding in his aims, if his TikTok page is any evidence, where the brightly-attired influencer seeks out any excuse to put a smile on someone else’s face. His heartwarming mission takes on many forms, but campus tag may be the most charming.

In a slew of videos posted to his account through early April of 2024, @sir_gabriel24 reignites the inner child of dozens of stressed-out students with a simple challenge. Sidling up to a range of students — many of whom are in the middle of other things — he gives them a quick tap, utters a gleeful “tag, you’re it,” and takes off. And, at least among the participants highlighted in his videos, his challenge is enthusiastically accepted.

The result is a charming video that reignites those happy childhood memories in us all, as grown students drop everything — literally everything, from phones and backpacks to drinks and half-eaten snacks — and sprint after @sir_gabriel24. Not all of them are quick enough to catch him, but its clear that the dose of serotonin his challenge elicits puts a smile on the face of everyone involved.

That extends to viewers, as well, who were quick to note how happy the video made them feel. Its a wonderful thing to see humans being happy, and as an extra bonus, that dose of joy is good for the brain.

Happiness is hugely beneficial to our health, and our future prospects, according to Harvard psychology researcher Shawn Achor. According to Achor, your brain works significantly better when you’re feeling happy, so finding an excuse to brighten your, or someone else’s, day is genuinely beneficial to a learning environment.

It’s also beneficial to the soul, as heaps of viewers were quick to point out. The comment section of @sir_gabriel24’s upload is littered with chipper responses from touched users, many of whom were overwhelmed at the sheer charm of the video.

“There’s no better giggle than a tag giggle,” one commenter accurately noted. “I love that we are all just goofy goobers,” another added.

Past praise of @sir_gabriel24’s first tag target — who takes off like a rocket without question — people were thoroughly taken in by the reminder that a little childlike joy is good for us all. It doesn’t matter how old we get, or how hard life becomes, any excuse to put a smile on someone else’s face is worth it — and, as it turns out, it’s easy to bond with anyone through a good game of tag.