UCI freshmen play red light/green light game for the world record

It is a tradition for UC Irvine freshmen to team up to leave their mark on the world – by setting a Guinness World Record as part of their Welcome Week fun.

On Wednesday, the newly minted Anteaters tried to claim fame for playing the largest game of red light/green light, starting and stopping their way across the open field at the campus’s Aldrich Park. A Guinness representative onsite confirmed a record had been set with 1,415 participating.

UC Irvine students must tag the school mascot, Peter the Anteater, before breaking a Guinness World Record for largest game of Red Light, Green Light, with 1,415 participating at Aldrich Park on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The previous record was held by Willamette University in Oregon with 1,223 participants. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

UC Irvine students gun while attempting to brake a Guinness World Record for largest game of Red Light, Green Light at Aldrich Park on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The previous record was held by Willamette University in Oregon with 1,223 participants. UC Irvine edged them out with 1,415 participants. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

UC Irvine students celebrate breaking a Guinness World Record for largest game of Red Light, Green Light with 1,415 participants at Aldrich Park on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The previous record was held by Willamette University in Oregon with 1,223 participants. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

UC Irvine students wait to tag the school mascot, Peter the Anteater, during a game of Red Light, Green Light, in an attempt to brake a Guinness World Record for largest amount of participants in the game. They successfully beat the previous record of 1,223 participants held by Willamette University in Oregon. UC Irvine had 1,415. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

An open stairwell is the perfect perch for watching the goings-on at UC Irvine’s Aldrich Park on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Students broke a Guinness World Record for largest game of Red Light, Green Light there. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A UC Irvine student preserves the moment as he waits to tag the school mascot, Peter the Anteater, while breaking a Guinness World Record for largest game of Red Light, Green Light at Aldrich Park on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The previous record was held by Willamette University in Oregon with 1,223 participants.UC Irvine set the new record at 1,415. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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In the past, UCI freshmen have set records playing balloon tag, dodgeball, capture the flag and more.

UCI is welcoming nearly 5,900 freshmen and more than 2,700 transfer students this fall.

Students started moving back into campus last week for the new school year and activities during Welcome Week have been helping them get acquainted with the campus and their peers. More than 10,000 students moved into campus housing over several days last week.

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