Have you ever used Tiktok? The app began to gain popularity in 2016. Many would say it’s had a profound influence on their life. Others would say it’s had no impact at all. I asked students at Lafayette High School about the effect TikTok has had on their lives.

Out of the 31 students I polled, 22 of those said TikTok had influenced their life in some way. Only nine responded that it hadn’t impacted them at all. This means, on average, 71% of students have been strongly influenced by TikTok.

Hannah Rubin, a sophomore at Lafayette High School, spoke about her Tiktok addiction. “I have a little over 400 followers,” she claimed. When asked about her daily usage, she was hesitant to show me her screen time. After some convincing, however, she revealed she spent a little more than 24 hours a week on Tiktok. On average, that’s about three and a half hours per day. When asked why she spent so much time on an app, she responded “It’s a funny app. Making videos is one of my favorite things to do in my free time. Some of my favorite parts are learning the dances, looking at famous people’s outfits, and it gives me style ideas for myself. I would say the main impact it’s had on my life is it’s given me a new activity to do with my friends.” Hannah also boasted she normally receives an astounding 60 likes on each of the videos she posts. She claims her favorite TikToker is Hannah Field because she likes her energy and her transition videos.

A stark contrast to Hannah, Alaynna Geron, also a sophomore at Lafayette High School, has zero Tiktok followers and only uses the app for her own entertainment. She also spends slightly less time on the app than Hannah, spending an average of only three hours a day watching videos. When asked if she makes videos she responded, “Yes, but I don’t post them. My favorite thing to do is learning new dances and recording myself doing them. My family is used to seeing me make TikToks in the kitchen.” She also offered some thoughts on why she likes Tiktok so much, saying, “It’s relatable. I like seeing others having the same problems as me or having somethings going on in their lives that I can relate to. It makes me feel less alone.” She also says she does not have a favorite Tiktoker she follows.

When walking through the halls at Lafayette High School, the Tiktok impact is obvious. It’s not hard to find students making videos, whether it’s out in the open or in the bathrooms. I think it’s safe to say most students have the app on their phones, and many of those use it frequently. Tiktok is becoming a lifestyle for some, and a hobby for many. As the app was only developed four years ago and has seen a steady rise in popularity since then, there is no doubt that it will continue to grow and influence more and more people every day.