As we enter the thick of the semester, we all need to prioritize finding escapes from studying. One of my favorite study breaks is scrolling through TikTok. If you are looking for an opportunity to spice up your For You Page, look no further — I have collected a list of my favorite accounts that make me laugh, inspire me and simply provide a distraction from my ever-growing to-do list.
1. @thejarr
Eli Rallo, the genius behind @thejarr, started her account by making jars of gluten free trail mix. Now, she has 568.8 thousand followers on TikTok and she is currently working with Harper Collins on her debut book titled “I Didn’t Know I Needed This.” Her account is full of day-in-the-life videos, satire, ex-theater kid content and my personal favorite — her rules lists, which are her guides ranging from “Rules for football Saturday” to “Rules for spicing up a mundane day.” I eagerly watch each rules video to find ways to incorporate pieces of joy into the tedious parts of the school year — like her tradition of “buy your coffee Friday,” which I observe by stopping at Grit Coffee for an iced coffee after my 8 a.m. discussion section.
I discovered Meredith over the summer — and I live for her series called “A Day in My Life as a Private Chef in the Hamptons.” A glimpse into her trips to farmers markets and picking produce from the garden at her client’s home provided me with a needed dose of escapism at the beginning of the semester. Although she is back in NYC now, I still love seeing the fresh ingredients she incorporates into her menus — it inspires me to cook something more elaborate than the typical college student diet of microwavable mac and cheese.
Dylan Mulvaney joyfully shares her journey of living as a trans woman through a series where she documents each “day of being a girl.” I especially enjoy watching her experiment with new outfits, hairstyles and makeup. I am not alone in finding happiness in Dylan’s content — she has amassed 8.2 million TikTok followers. The notion of feeling proud of yourself is a universal desire, and Dylan embodies happiness and strength. That is a boost we all need while trying to survive the fall semester at the University.
4. @elysemyers
Whenever I need a laugh, I look for a new video by @elysemyers. Her storytelling capacities are unmatched — her painfully honest humor captivates me. While it is impossible to pick my favorite video, her story about jumping in the pool with a bride while working as a wedding caterer is particularly hilarious — she reminds me to not take everything too seriously — a necessary skill during the never-ending ups and downs of life at the University.
5. @hatsbyabbey
You might recognize Abbey from the reality show “Love on the Spectrum.” As a 24 year-old living with autism, Abbey uses TikTok to share her love and passion for things like singing, swimming and her boyfriend, David. Her devotion to being her authentic self makes me smile, especially on stressful days of exams, papers and projects.
@beautyandtheblair’s videos are especially comforting to me. She shares her life via a series called “A Day in my Life as a Chaotic Yale PhD Candidate.” As the semester continues to pick up and I have seemingly endless deadlines, it is reassuring to know others are in a similar situation. I have found that following TikTok accounts that show the busy lives of people — particularly other students — motivates me to tackle my own schedule and list of assignments.
I think it is important to balance your consumption of TikToks by following some accounts that help you learn something new. For me, I turn to @herfirst100k — an account dedicated to providing financial advice specifically for women. Tori Dunlap, the woman behind @herfirst100k, also has a podcast titled “Financial Feminist.” What could be better than getting headstart on planning for your financial future as a college student with a feminist perspective?
As a college student, my current living situation is less than ideal. Nevertheless, I still like to dream of my most perfect apartment, and @claire.sullivan_ allows me to exercise my imagination. She fills the fridge in her beautiful NYC apartment with items that exclusively fit her desired color scheme, creating the most aesthetically pleasing fridge I have ever seen — contrasting sharply with my fridge filled with an interesting combination of pickles, iced coffee and the occasional avocado.
@corporatenatalie has the most relatable sense of humor. Even though her content is largely about the plight of working a corporate job from home, her feelings still resonate with University life. She frequently shows herself taking Zoom calls in her bathrobe, enjoying a much-needed midday nap and describing her weekend as restful to her coworkers when she was actually on a bachelorette trip.
10. @theyeeetbaby
Last but certainly not least, Marleigh and her little brother, Jack, make videos with their uncle that are the highlight of my day. The videos originated by having Marleigh pour various liquids into glasses, which ended in a giant mess. I personally love using Marleigh and Jack’s videos as a distraction after turning in a difficult exam or tricky paper, allowing me to feel moved by the positivity and excitement for life expressed in these TikToks.
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