by Rebecca Dance
I did not love TikTok when it first came out as the new social media app, but eventually I did get sucked into the whirlpool of bite-sized dances, rants, and informational announcements. Since I put the app on my phone and created an account, I have increased my scrolling exponentially. At first, I was insistent that I wouldn’t be into it, and I was absolutely certain that TikTok would fade soon and become obsolete. I wouldn’t fall victim to some new fad that blinked out of existence before I could even get my bearings.
Spoiler: I very quickly fell into the trap of scrolling for hours because more interesting videos kept appearing and it was a wonderful distraction from the monotony of quarantines. I used it as a method of escape and a way to see the rest of the world from my room. Everyone was using it!
I used to think it was just silly and useless – now I see it in a different light. I’ve been using it to get some of my news (fact checked later, of course), to find new music, and to learn new things. The quick videos are a perfect format to just get a taste of something and learn more on my own later. It’s also a nice little intersection between so many walks of life that you can find almost anything you’re interested in.
My final ruling on TikTok is that it isn’t the mind-melting mess I at first assumed it to be, and I give it my approval. (If you’re looking for an escape or to procrastinate during midterms, I recommend giving TikTok a mindless scroll.)
