22 Things… I’ve Learned from TikTok

Written by Kaelyn Spickler

I am now a somewhat-freshly-22-year-old, and unless something crazy happens, this is my last semester writing for the Brackety-Ack. 🙁 With that, I decided it would be fun for my final column to be “22 Things…” where I can sometimes share advice, list my favorites, or give some insight. 

This week I will be sharing 22 things that TikTok has taught me. Though I hate to admit it, my TikTok usage has gone up significantly in the last year, and it has truly brought a lot of things to my attention (helpful and for fun) that I may not otherwise have known or tried. 

Blue mascara is in. No, this is not navy, but a true blue. I haven’t been brave enough to try it, but I have found a happy medium with blue eyeliner and I do think it makes my eyes pop more. 

Suez Canal. See the previous issue to read about how TikTok informed millions of the young adults on the boat stuck in the Suez Canal earlier this month. 

Soap brows!

The art of making your Instagram stories pop. 

Skinny jeans are out…? I would not have picked up on this if I didn’t have TikTok, and quite frankly, even though I am aware of it now, I am ignoring it (like many people 22+). 

Feta pasta, need I say more?

Heatless curls. This is my favorite thing I have learned from TikTok. Putting a bathrobe tie across my damp hair and twisting strands of hair around it has been a game changer for curling my hair, especially since I have given up on figuring out how to use a curling iron. 

You can make pizza in the air fryer- tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese on a tortilla. 

Some ab exercises are widening your core making it look like your waist is getting bigger. 

The shampoo you are using is likely bad. Basically any shampoo you get at Target or Walmart is causing your hair to fall out… at least according to TikTok. 

Safety tips (e.g. trying to park beside a curb and then standing on the curb while you unlock your car in case someone is underneath your car).

The perfect way to make a quesadilla- by dividing the tortilla into fourths, cutting it (not all the way through), and then folding it. 

Dogs love to be pet with a toothbrush. 

Healthy apple pie- cinnamon on apple slices!

The Ordinary skincare products are a must-try.

Bridgerton is a must watch! Frankly, if it weren’t for TikTok, I probably wouldn’t have given this show much thought, and I would have been missing out!

At-home face lift. I would probably still be putting concealer in a triangle under my eyes instead of on the outer and inner corners of my eyes. 

Get the full background in a picture by taking a panorama going upwards. 

Mac ‘n cheese and Pillsbury biscuits. @succulentbite posted a video in the fall putting Pillsbury biscuits in a deep and narrow pan, piling mac ‘n cheese, gouda, and butter, and wrapping the biscuit dough over top to bake. 

Every insider secret I know about Taylor Swift is from TikTok. Swiftok is legit. 

I’ve learned a lot of COVID-19 vaccine facts, though I know you should double-check these. 

Color-coded tabs for Google Chrome.