On March 3, 2025, an anonymous internet user known only by the handle ‘shrimphonous_shrimp’ made a post on YikYak, a social media platform available exclusively on iOS that allows college students to communicate with others on their campus. The post read, “1st shrimp deployed,” and attached was a picture of a crocheted shrimp with a message tied to it. The post also detailed the shrimp’s on-campus hiding spot.
This kicked off a flurry of discourse on YikYak with shrimphonous_shrimp deploying shrimp after shrimp and making post after post. The finders of the shrimp rejoiced in the comments, and the people who had yet to find one voiced their hopes and prayers of being next.
Shrimphonous_shrimp said they were inspired by a pattern on Etsy from an artist named Alleshen Hamilton, also known as GheeBeans Crafty. After crocheting a couple of them, they realized that “[n]ot only did I want to share them with people I love, but I figured others would love them as well. In times like this, when there is such a strong social divide and panic, I wanted to bring just a little bit of joy onto campus.”
When deploying them, shrimphonous_shrimp said the goal is to place the shrimp where they can be accessed easily and efficiently. They decided to attach the messages because “there is a lot of hurt and worry in the world… I felt like the shrimps on their own wouldn’t make sense and would just get thrown away, so attaching messages and posting them to YikYak was a way I thought I could get a message across. I wanted to do sea or crustacean-related puns to go along with theming, but you can only do so many puns related to shrimp, prawns, and the like.” The main idea was to do something uplifting and meaningful for other students without being tacky or cliché.
The shrimp have been found in many places all across campus. The Cofrin Library, MAC Hall, Theatre Hall, Studio Arts, the Union, and many more have all been deployment sites. A survey conducted from April 24, 2025, to April 30, 2025, received six responses from students who located shrimp on campus. Responses describing their reaction upon finding the shrimp include:
“I was literally so excited that my heart rate spiked and I had to take a minute!”
“I literally screamed, I was so happy, and I will never be that happy again.”
“I was SO happy!!!”
“Yayayyayayayayayay”
When respondents were asked if the experience stuck with them in any way, answers included words like proud, happy, and slay, and all of them said that yes, it did. “This experience has given me motivation to keep pushing through the semester and going to classes.”
Another notable group impacted by shrimphonous_shrimp includes students who followed their YikYak posts, hoping to find one of the shrimp. Alongside the previously mentioned survey was another survey for these people as well, of which five people responded.
There was unanimity concerning the positive impact on campus of the shrimp, especially of the unification of students over something so ‘silly and little’ and the opportunity it gives students to explore new parts of campus. There was also a question that allowed respondents to leave a message for ‘shrimphonous_shrimp,’ which is listed below:
“Who are you, mysterious shrimp person?”
“Simply, thank you. Due to other factors in my life, I’d started slacking and had lost motivation, but the little, tiny creatures you make and have made have somehow brought it all back to me, and I feel like I owe you in a way.”
“We all love you and make sure to take time for yourself!! We see and appreciate all the work you do on campus! Thank you for the memories and shrimp!”
“I love [you] and really hope to find [a shrimp] soon!”
“I love you, shrimp!”
There was a similar question asking respondents what stood out to them about all of it, to which they praised the talent of the students on campus, as well as the consistency of shrimphonous_shrimp, the joy they have inspired, naming them as ‘a light in this world,’ calling the idea ‘random but amazing,’ and expressing that they ‘think it’s the best thing that’s happened to the GB campus.’