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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at York U chapter.

Whether you joined TikTok before the hype or hopped on the bandwagon and downloaded the app during quarantine earlier this year (like me), I think we can all agree that TikTok is in fact worth all the hype. Don’t get me wrong – I didn’t get it at first either. I openly used to complain about how useless the app is (without even knowing how it worked), how unoriginal the content was (because I thought I would see the same videos on Instagram) and I used to bash people who made dance videos (little did I know that a few months down the road I would not only be making my own videos but also dance videos as well).

I don’t know why I was such a hater of TikTok. But I eventually stopped hating because when I gave in and downloaded the app, it was much different than I expected – in a good way! The minute-or-less videos are perfect for my short attention span, the popular dances are actually fun to learn and recreate and best of all, the For You page is always on point.

I don’t exactly know the details or any technical talk about the algorithm TikTok uses to show you videos that you would enjoy. But what I do know is that TikTok is a great platform for content creators and people who enjoy watching funny, helpful, informative and creative videos.

Here is a list I compiled of the top six TikTok accounts (in no particular order)  that I follow and am currently loving!

“emilyrayna” aka Emily Shaw

Emily Shaw gained a massive following for a series of videos she posted back in May that were all about renovating her childhood home. Since then, Emily, and interior designer, has moved onto other series including ‘DM DIY’, where she responds to direct messages from followers who ask for her advice on how they can DIY their space, ‘Interior Design 101’, where she shares design basics and renovation advice and her most recent project features her making over her sister’s first home. I started watching Emily’s TikToks when she was still renovating her parents’ home this past May and I’ve been a consistent follower of hers since then because her content is helpful and I personally like her interior design style so watching her makeover a space is like watching one of my Pinterest boards come to life. With a following on TikTok of about 3.4 million users, Emily has expanded to creating interior design, architecture and DIY videos on YouTube. 

“kadeem” aka Basement Gang

If you haven’t already heard of or come across Basement Gang on your For You page, you’re really missing out. Kadeem Hemmings, Nate James and Nick McDonald make up Basement Gang, a group of friends who create hilarious dance videos on TikTok. With 2.2 million followers and 41.1 million ‘likes’ on TikTok, it isn’t a mystery as to why these guys are so popular. Their videos really are just dance videos but something about their energy and chemistry with one another is so magnetic – you really can’t stop watching! Maybe it’s their style or how they’re always in sync with one another but whatever it is, Basement Gang is worth checking out because they are just so entertaining. I truly cannot help but smile and laugh when I watch their videos. Their energy is so contagious, I sometimes can’t help myself from dancing with them!

“iamtabithabrown” aka Tabitha Brown

This woman feels like a second mother to me. Honestly! And she knows it too; her bio literally says “The world’s Favorite Mom”. Her voice – soothing. Her smile – contagious. Her advice – always exactly what I need to hear. Tabitha Brown and her vegan cooking videos, motherly advice, mental health check-ins and radiant personality reaches about 4.5 million followers on TikTok. I always love when I come across her videos on my For You page (despite already following her) and hear her open with a soft “Hello there” – it truly feels like a warm hug. I don’t know how she does it (or maybe it really is just TikTok’s algorithm that perfectly caters to me) but I always come across Tabitha’s more motivational videos when I need to hear them the most. I highly suggest following her if you aren’t already because she truly is an angel.

“shinanova” aka Shina Nova

Shina is someone whom I recently discovered on TikTok but she definitely deserves a spot on this list. She is an Inuk woman from Montreal, Quebec who posts Indigenous-related content. It’s clear to see from her videos that Shina is a proud Indigenous woman; from sharing her favourite traditional meal, to sharing history and insight on what it’s like to be an Indigenous person in Canada, to sharing videos of her and her mother throat singing,  Shina’s TikTok account has a lot to offer and her 1.1 million followers can attest to that. Her content is so refreshing to see on TikTok because although we all love the small business TikToks or fashion TikToks, it’s important to remember that people on this app also have important issues and information to share. I’m really glad I came across Shina’s videos because following her content is just another way I can help to uplift Indigenous voices.

“angeltav” aka Angel Tavera

With a more modest following of 242.7 thousand followers on TikTok, Angel’s videos will have you on the floor, dying of laughter. Seriously! Every one of his videos where he recreates iconic movie scenes and TV shows with his friends is something you can’t help but be entertained by. Angel may have a smaller following compared to the other TikTokers on this list but his followers are definitely consistent; most of his TikToks are recreations of scenes his followers request in the ‘comments’ section of his videos. If you love Disney Channel movies like Camp Rock or High School Musical, I promise you that Angel’s reenactments of the most iconic scenes will not disappoint. I feel like he probably started off creating these TikToks ironically and for pure entertainment, but despite the hilarity of it all, the energy between him and his friends and the visible struggle you see of everyone trying to keep a straight face, Angel is actually a pretty good actor!

“labelswithlattes” aka Mayra Matal

Okay, I promise I didn’t include Mayra on this list just because she replied to one of my comments on her videos once that made me fangirl. Although she shares the Instagram account of the same name with her sister, Mayra Matal solely runs labelswithlattes’ TikTok account. She is so consistent in posting relevant fashion-related content, whether it’s hauls, “How to Style
” videos or sharing outfit ideas of every season and occasion. Mayra may have a modest following of 45.9 thousand, but she always comes through with the latest and greatest. Plus, it’s super refreshing to see a fashion TikToker of mid-plus size whom I can personally relate to on a body-size level.

If you’re just starting to get into TikTok like I was a few months ago, I guarantee it’s really worth all the hype. There is something for everyone which is what makes the app so popular. This list was just a taste of what’s out there – go see for yourself!

Lisa is a former writer, executive member, and Chapter Leader of Her Campus at York U. She graduated from York University in 2021 with a BA in Anthropology. She is a Kappa Phi Xi alumni and is currently pursuing a Paralegal studies accelerated diploma at Seneca College.
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Feimoon is in her fourth and final year as an undergraduate student at York University, majoring in Communication Studies. She is passionate about traveling, fashion, beauty, writing and spreading positivity. She is now an Alumni of Delta Psi Delta, and past President. Now she focuses on being a Co-Campus Correspondent for the Her Campus York University chapter!