When I sit on benches now, I am usually alone. For the first 20ish minutes I am eagerly embracing the opportunity to be outside. At some point, however, I find I spend the rest of my time scrolling through my phone. I am not mad about this. In fact my phone is a great connection to society and antidote to boredom.
One of my favorite phone activities to accomplish those goals is using TikTok. TikTok first launched in the United States in 2017. Since then, it has amassed a user base of over 1 billion diverse TikTokers. In the competitive world of digital media platforms, TikTok’s impressive success can be attributed to its unique “For You” page (FYP). Borrowing the infinite scroll function of Instagram’s “Explore” page and the short video format of Vine, the “For You” page provides users with an endless feed of short videos.
Ranging from wholesome snail jokes by Tim Pearce (@carnegiemnh) to the avant-garde comedy of Ian Smith (@ianisuglyyy), content on the FYP is dynamic and represents a range of creators, popularity, topics, and style.
TikTok certainly supplies users with memes, dance moves, and distraction, but engagement in the TikTok community also unites users in a shared human experience and expands how they interpret the world. With a short attention span and large appetite for laughter, I love TikTok. Since I moved back home from college, I also find that I am using it more than usual to feel connected to the outside world.
Frequently people (admittedly myself at times) are quick to judge instances of digital disruption in nature. It can seem almost counterintuitive to invite technology into natural environments in which the space itself is deserving enough of attention, but lately I have been thinking differently.
Without sidewalks, it is sometimes hard to find a reason to go outside, and just sitting is not always inviting. So for me, bringing TikTok, an app I was already going to use inside, has helped me see the sun more.
Using TikTok outside has given me the best of both worlds: Being outside in the sun helps with my mood and appetite for nature while TikTok provides entertainment and a sense of social engagement.
lets go on an ad•bench•ure 