Matthew Norman: a Tarleton TikTok sensation

BY KELLAN BYARS

Multimedia Journalist

Dorm rooms aren’t usually the stuff of internet fame. They can be small, a little messy and often decorated with more personality than square footage allows.  

But at Tarleton State University, one student has turned those small rooms and twin beds into the perfect setup for a TikTok series that’s gone viral on campus.  

That student is Matthew Norman, a freshman who has gained attention as the mastermind behind Tarleton dorm tours. Norman’s tours do more than film four walls and a bed. They encapsulate the spirit of student life and give future Texans a glimpse of what awaits them on campus.  

In a time when students often turn to social media to form opinions and ideas, Norman has become an unexpected ambassador for Tarleton, using his sense of humor to bring laughter and surprise to students on campus and viewers online.  

Norman is originally from Mason, Texas. He graduated from Mason High School in 2025 out of a class of 44 students. He is a freshman at Tarleton this year majoring in communications. His goal is to go into sports broadcasting, especially with football.  

At Duck Camp this year, Norman fell in love with the journey he was on and wanted other students to enjoy their Tarleton experience as well.  

Norman said he had seen students online from other colleges do dorm tours, and after realizing no one at Tarleton had started anything like that yet, he decided to begin it himself.  

What started as a random idea has turned Norman into something of a campus celebrity. Known by students as “the dorm tour guy,” he has created a series of videos that show how students are living at Tarleton.  

His lighthearted and charismatic nature made filming dorm tours feel effortless, and before long, his TikTok series had become a staple of Tarleton student life.  

“It was great to make people happy and see them laugh because of something I was doing,” Norman said.  

The response has been immediate. Over the span of 13 parts, Norman’s following has blown up, and students from all over campus have begun requesting that he do their room next.  

Viewers of his TikToks have commented on how the tours give Tarleton a genuine feel that other colleges don’t have.  

“It’s cool seeing people I know on his videos,” Sadie Crabill, one of Norman’s TikTok followers, said. “It makes campus feel connected, like we’re all part of something.”  

Looking ahead, Norman isn’t sure exactly where his TikTok fame will take him. For now, he plans to keep making dorm tours while enjoying the connections the videos have brought him. He is making the most of his college experience and enjoying the ride.  

“The best part is always the journey, not the destination,” Norman said.  

Norman’s dorm tours are more than just TikTok videos. They’re snapshots of student life and campus spirit that capture what it means to be a Texan. They stand as a reminder to enjoy life day by day and have fun.  

With each knock on a dorm door, he embraces the journey, connecting with friends and creating memories that matter. For him, the destination isn’t the goal – it’s the laughter, the connections and the joy found along the way.