All Hail TikTok

The app that has everyone entertained. (Photo found on unsplash.com)

In case you’re late to the party, TikTok is the current trendy app you must check out. Launched in 2016, this video-sharing social media platform attracts 800 million users worldwide and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. 

TikTok is more than just middle school kids dancing, and it allows users to create and share videos on any topics. It is the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide, and celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande are using it.

So how did one app suddenly rise to the top, and why are users so enthralled by short clips of random individuals? These three Elon students helped explain what all the hype is about. 

Audrey Trullinger is a sophomore who started using TikTok once she learned it is similar to Vine. She downloaded the app in December and has amassed over 180,000 followers so far. 

“I was a huge fan of Vine back in the day, so when I realized that similar content could be found on TikTok, I was ecstatic,” Trullinger said. 

She finds TikTok more addicting and entertaining than other apps such as Instagram and Snapchat. 

“With Instagram, you aren’t scrolling through your feed laughing your face off, you are usually just looking at everyone else’s highlight reel,” Trullinger said. “TikTok is different.”

Trullinger said she enjoys using TikTok because it puts her in a better mood.

“The primary reason I use it is that it makes me happy,” Trullinger said. “I love making content that makes people laugh, inspires them or helps them in any way.”

Trullinger believes TikTok has managed to keep her attention since she enjoys both creating and watching videos. However, she never anticipated gaining such a large number of followers. 

“I started making videos because it was fun, but then when it started to blow up I saw the potential for how it could launch me, so I capitalized on it and started posting more frequently,” Trullinger said. “I didn’t think it would get me here though!”

Maris Kaplan is a senior who also enjoys TikTok because it is comparable to Vine. 

“It’s similar to Vine, and I loved Vine since people are so funny on it,” Kaplan said. “You can scroll through it for hours with new random content that’s very relatable.”

Kaplan downloaded TikTok in the fall, and it is currently her favorite form of social media. 

“Right now, it’s fresh and new, and there’s no pressure to be serious or seem cool on it to others,” Kaplan said.

At first, Kaplan was hesitant about downloading the app since she associated it with younger kids, but after using it she loved it. 

“I love getting to watch fun new videos and it just makes me laugh,” Kaplan said. “I really enjoy it and everyone uses it.”

Senior Brooke Davis downloaded TikTok in September in order to document moments from her senior year. 

“I downloaded it as a joke to make little video clips of senior year,” Davis said. “It’s different from other social media because it allows you to add multiple videos and put them together.”

Davis said she enjoys using TikTok as a means to keep her videos together in one place. 

“I like it because it’s a great form of entertainment and I like being able to combine a bunch of videos to look back on,” Davis said. 

Using TikTok helps her stay updated on current trends while simultaneously providing her with entertainment. 

“I like it mostly because you can follow trends and gain popularity by doing the trends,” Davis said. “It’s also nice because my feed is always refreshing, and you never run out of content.” 

Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already!