Like most of Gen Z, I am addicted to social media. I know better than to be that way, but the fact remains my bedtime routine involves an hour or two or five of scrolling mindlessly until I can’t take it anymore and I am forced to sleep. Fortunately, I have found a sustainable method to cut back on my screen time: taking extra time to strictly curate social media accounts I follow. This realization is pretty new for me. Because the internet was still novel during my childhood, until now, I always locked into the belief that the internet is a feral, ugly place that one absolutely cannot control. And to be fair, it is still easy to fall down internet rabbit holes, or to be bombarded with pop-ups from the dark web. Surprisingly, though, I see teens nowadays having a more balanced relationship with social media than I did at their age. I found that taking initiative to deeply vet my feed—such as blocking certain tags, or following more artists who inspire me—as opposed to tolerating the chaos, keeps my mood stable and also keeps me from picking up my phone 100 times a day.
Similarly, I wanted to share some of the TikTok accounts I follow that truly benefit my life, whether that’s providing knowledge, joy, or artistic inspiration.
@domcell (EmmytheRobot)
Seeing Emmy on my page each day feels like drinking my morning coffee, soothing and refreshing all at once. Emmy the Robot is a charming webcomic created by Dominic Cellini about a robot nanny (“nan-droid”) named Emmy and her life caring for a wealthy couple’s child. The comic is both sci-fi and retro, set in the postwar period. The whole comic is available online, actually, but I’m enjoying the TikTok version of seeing a video of it every few days. Most of the videos are short strips of the comic and they don’t necessarily have narrative conclusions, which makes seeing Emmy every day feel like checking in with a friend. Even better, there are hints of a much darker storyline slowly unfolding. The comment section is equally entertaining as people are freaking out about it.
@libraryoflauren
In my opinion, BookTok is one of the best sides of TikTok, because it gives reading the romanticization it deserves. This account shows some incredible art spreads dedicated to books (usually romance or fantasy). Oh, and also, I know her! Hi Lauren!
@peacefromwithin
If you struggle with social anxiety, I would recommend reading this account. In terms of people who can verbalize exactly how social anxiety makes you feel, and how to address it in a realistic way, this might be my favorite anxiety tool to use outside of clinical care.
@niu.views
Ariel Niu is essentially a speaking coach, and I love her videos! Her account has taught me how to be more assertive and to stand up for myself in conversation. The content style is also wonderfully brief and easy to understand.
@eatsbyramya
When I follow cooking accounts on social media, I want to see recipes that are attainable, and I also need them to be really appetizing. This account hits both of those marks for me. There is a lot of spice-rich and/or South Asian recipes on this account, which in my opinion constitutes God-tier cuisine.
@caricatureparty
There are caricatures, and then there is Caricature Party. Enjoy tourists in Hawaii getting bodied by an artist who pulls no punches.
@stephgrassodietitian
I know that last place anyone should go for nutritional advice is the Internet, but I have found this account is one of those rare exceptions that understands the shallowness of diet industry, offers attainable and cheap nutritional advice, and most importantly, promotes a truly healthy relationship with food. Steph Grasso has 2.2 million followers, and I think it is a very well-deserved following.
@nichemanifestations
Generally speaking, in my opinion, any account dedicated to “manifestations” is going to be quality entertainment.
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