TikTok has become a part of everyone’s everyday life. TikTok is not only used daily in most Gen Z life’s but viral videos are also referenced and are points of normal conversation. Creating TikToks is a social activity. Although TikTok is such an integral part of our everyday lives, I decided to delete it after 3 weeks of having it since I knew it would not be good for my long term mental health. I was on the health side of TikTok so I was receiving “fit” girl routines, low calorie recipes, and what I eat in a day videos. Not that any of these are inherently bad but they have the potential to lead to comparison, which is what I found myself doing. I got TikTok late because I felt left out when my friends would all break out into a dance from the app or reference and laugh at a viral video. The 3 weeks I had TikTok my screen time went up 40 percent. After realizing the comparison trap and amount of time I spent on TikTok I decided to delete it. I have now been TikTok free for almost a year. Not going to lie, I still feel like I miss out sometimes: the other day I was in a group of a few girls and one of my friends referenced a TikTok sound and then they all started listing off funny videos they had seen with the sound. They laughed for probably 5 minutes while I was just sitting there completely unaware of what they were talking about. I felt the urge to get the app again but then realized personally the app doesn’t add anything to my life so there is no point in me getting it. If anything it’s beneficial for me not to have the app: I have more time to enjoy leisure activities I love such as cooking and reading and it improves my self esteem by eliminating comparison to people I do not know. Not that TikTok is inherently bad, but I do feel like there is a pressure to have it and if you don’t people often judge you slightly for it. In the end deleting TikTok was the best decision for me and besides a few social references here and there, I do not think it affects my life at all negatively. If you feel like you want to delete TikTok but think you might miss out or fear ridicule from friends, here is your sign to delete it. TikTok is great for some people and not for others; I learned you just have to do what is best for you.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UVA chapter.