TikTok 101: How teens are combatting COVID-19 boredom in under 60 seconds — Assembly

13-year-old Amaaya Chowdhury writes about why the app is the perfect way to connect with others and speak out on issues important to you.

Social distancing is important in order to keep ourselves and others safe. And while I know it’s a necessary measure, I can’t help but get a bit bored at home all the time — and I’m sure that a lot of you are feeling the same way. But there is a way to combat this boredom: TikTok!

If you haven’t heard of this app, it’s an online platform with more than 1.5 billion downloads that allows you to view and create short videos (less than a minute) that you can keep for yourself or share with the world. And I know what you (or your parents) are thinking: ANOTHER app? But trust me, TikTok is special. It encourages users to be active, creative and speak out on the issues they care about. Let me tell you about some of the types of videos you’ll find on TikTok.

Dance trends

Dance videos are one of my favorite types of TikTok content. Different creators (who can be as young as 14!) choreograph dances, and if people like them, then millions will learn the moves and post their own versions. Take it from someone who has spent A LOT of free time practicing TikTok dance videos, they’re fun AND a good workout. Watching them also introduces you to so many new songs. I am guilty of creating a whole new playlist of songs I discovered from TikTok dance videos.

Point-of-view (POV) videos

Another genre of TikTok videos are point-of-view (POV) videos. POV videos can be about any topic but all address the viewer directly as if they’re a character in the video. So for example, many people create coming-of-age videos where the viewer takes the place of someone who impacted the creator at a monumental time in their life. These POV videos are intended to help the viewers be more empathetic towards the creator’s experience.

The process

TikTok’s many editing tools make it easy for anyone to create fun, relatable content. Although it is easy to edit videos, the challenging part is coming up with a premise for one. When I’m creating TikToks, I like to think about what would be interesting and original for people to watch, as well as ideas that may connect to them on an emotional level.

Preparing to film the video can also be time consuming as many videos require outfit or appearance changes at various times. It’s a great way to brush up (literally!) on your makeup and styling skills. You can try out new styles and looks. The best thing about this app is that there are so many different things out there that it is easy to be yourself in any way. Being creative and abstract is a great way to release energy and cure boredom.

Activity inspiration

TikTok is great to see what your friends, celebrities and totally random people are getting up to during this quarantine. This can give you ideas for stuff to do at home and also just be a fun way to unwind and have a good laugh (or cry). For example, there are so many simple cooking trends that gained popularity on TikTok, like mug cakes and recipes that can be made in a few minutes (linked below). I’ve found cooking and baking is a fun and productive way to spend your time — plus then you have yummy snacks to eat while you binge Netflix!

Speaking out

Since TikTok is such a popular app, it is a great platform to speak out on the issues you care about in creative ways — and get your message across to millions of people around the world. Students have participated in TikTok campaigns about climate change, animal rights and safer internet.

They’ve also come together in solidarity for Black creators on TikTok, who often go uncredited for the dances or video trends they start. In May, the #ImBlackMovement encouraged people to change their profile pictures to a raised Black fist and then follow at least one new Black creator to amplify Black voices on the app. Thousands of people participated, which just goes to show how powerful social movements can spread on TikTok. Users have also been using TikTok to educate their followers on racial justice and to document the protests and uprisings in different parts of the world.

Last month was Pride Month and many members of the LGBTQIA+ community celebrated from home with TikTok. Through sharing stories, virtual events and celebrations, and viral challenges, TikTok allows people to come together even when they’re apart.

Putting a smile on your face

On TikTok, you can connect and laugh over common experiences, like school and day-to-day happenings and events. On the “For You Page,” anything can pop up and I’ve found so many heartwarming clips that have brought me joy. In this unpredictable time, it’s a comfort to know there are other people struggling but also making the best of things despite the challenges and still finding ways to bring joy into other people’s lives.