Things I’ve learned from TikTok

I couldn’t tell you the exact date that I signed up for TikTok. For those of you that don’t know, TikTok is technically a “lip-sync” app. While this is true, it offers so much more. It’s comedy, it’s feel-good, it’s informational.

It’s crazy how quickly something can go viral on TikTok. Definitely faster than any other social media I’ve seen. Anywho, I remember seeing my teen posting on Musically (the previous version of TikTok, for all you non-TT fans) and wondering what in the world that was all about. How could it possibly be entertaining? I kept up with her videos and interactions, but other than that I wasn’t interested.

Then one day, she had me do a lip sync of Brandon Farris (hilarious, check him out). I had fun, so I’m like, I bet I can get more followers than you. Then I made an account, posted for a while, then got distracted for a while, and have recently rejoined with interest in even more of the TikTok trends. So. Weird.

Even weirder? I have found a TON of other people my age (plus) that are enjoying this app! No longer is TikTok the tween app it once was, but a place for people of all ages to be weird together.

I’ve learned a lot from TikTok. Like, seriously, a lot. If you are currently, or decide to join, check me out @mrsjenbruce. Please remember I’m super dee duper trying to get more followers than my kid.

Here are 15 things I have realized since joining and really immersing myself in the app and it’s trends:

• I can not dance sober. I don’t really drink anymore, so I guess we’ll never know if I was actually as coordinated as I thought I was on the dance floor after a few margaritas.

• You have about 2 seconds to capture my attention before I’m swiping.

• Even if you catch my attention, my attention span is then about 30 seconds.

• I never go looking for “Part 2”s.

• I would venture to guess that the scene at proms and clubs look a lot different than they did before TikTok.

• There are approximately 10-15 seconds of current songs that are worth listening to…

• Those 10-15 seconds will be stuck in your head for weeks.

• My husband will never download the app, never, ever be recorded for it, but will (without admitting it to a soul) watch it with me for an undisclosed period of time. **Edited to add that I lied. I’m a liar liar pants because to my astonishment, he just came and showed me a TikTok from his phone.

• I am unhealthily competitive.

• My house is way more cluttered and messy than most people’s houses.

• Somehow, my house is also cleaner than a lot of others.

• Angle is everything.

• There is some kind of time warp when watching TikToks.

• Many, many people that are as weird as I am. This is equally comforting and disturbing.