By Lia Kovac

We made it, 2021. Even though many of us are thrilled to have 2020 behind us, there were a few good things that came out of it. A lot of us began 2020 in hopes of it being “our best year yet”. We made resolutions, started new jobs, traveled and were eager to live a life of adventure. Then one day it felt like a light switch turned off and we were thrown into another dimension. 

People lost their jobs. Restaurants were forced to close. A mask mandate was put in place to enter public places. The entertainment business was put on pause. Businesses and schools had to introduce a new way of communication with their clients and students. COVID-19 became the center of the world’s attention. 

The outbreak impacted the way humans interact with each other. We as a society had to find ways to spend our days in quarantine while preserving our mental health. A lot of us turned to social media to engage in a community. While Instagram and Facebook may have been at the top of some people’s list pre-covid, TikTok became one of the most compelling quarantine apps. 

TikTok, a Gen-Z dominated social media platform, is a video only sharing app that allows its users to create and share short video clips on any topic. Dancing, singing, cooking or cleaning, the platform content is limitless. It is all up to the creators. With lip-synching videos and following the latest dance trends, everyday normal teens like Addison Rae, Charli Damelio and Loren Gray became famous social media personalities. 

The app has gained over eight hundred million monthly users with over two billion downloads. When the stay at home order was put into place back in March, people from all around the world had to change their way of living. Never having experienced anything quite like this before, it is safe to say we were all a little lost. Working from home and virtual schooling quickly became the new normal. 

More than ever, mental health became more difficult to deal with. People needed their fill of social interaction and a way to entertain themselves while being cooped up in their homes. That’s when TikTok stepped in and became a saving grace for so many. It allowed people to “virtually” escape isolation. Relationships were made and connections were built. Everyone from kids to grandparents was hooked on the app. It was a small distraction from all the chaos. Learning dance trends, participating in family challenges, or singing along with your favorite artist, all of it kept people occupied, even if it was for a short time. 

While the app may have launched influencers careers, inspired the next hit song, and kept us busy during quarantine, it also gave essential workers like doctors and nurses, a voice to speak about COVID-19. Being on the front line, doctors were able to inform and guide the public, stressing the importance of mask-wearing and social distancing. Unfortunately, the app can not eliminate COVID-19 but it can give us as humans, a chance to escape this uncertain reality. Here’s to hoping that the app can continue to share support, guidance, and tips to help each other during this time.

Lia is a culture writer for La Tonique.