TikTok’s Big Decision Impact: Social media’s perfectionist culture creates unrealistic expectations in the college application process

I’ve always seen TikTok as a way to de-stress or get my mind off of the towering to-do list awaiting me at my desk. It’s a way to forget about the Anatomy worksheets flooding my Canvas home page, or the seven other college applications I have left to do before Dec. 1. 

But scrolling through my “For You” page last week, I was overwhelmed by the massive amount of college acceptance videos, along with other videos of seniors posting their A+ academic statistics along with what schools they’re applying to.

Don’t get me wrong, college is definitely the most prominent topic of interest for seniors right now, including myself. With the Dec. 1 deadline quickly approaching and admission decision letters en route to our front doors, it’s almost impossible to get through a conversation between my family or my peers without talking about it.

Seeing those seniors on my feed opening an admissions update, prefaced by a “Congratulations!” that will decide their future makes me want to feel how they did in that moment. 

But what about the people who didn’t get in?

In our generation, social media is fabricated to the point where people only show the positive aspects of their lives. It makes sense, but amidst the agony of waiting for our own acceptance letters, we have to remember that sometimes these impeccable expectations are nothing but unrealistic. 

Seeing the hundreds of students break into tears of satisfaction because they got into their dream school provides unrealistic expectations for people still anxiously awaiting admissions decisions.

And we don’t even get to see the other side of it that’s filled with deferrals or denials.

As I said, it makes sense that people wouldn’t want to share moments of discouragement or disappointment, especially in the college application process. But in general, we as a generation can be more authentic on social media.

I’m not saying that I’m not guilty of posting only the exceptional parts of my life on social media, but social media — especially TikTok — makes it seem like if you fall through the cracks or get rejected from your dream school, you’re a failure.

I’m here to tell you that’s not the case. We don’t have to be like the million-follower accounts on TikTok who wake up at 4:45 a.m. and go for a morning run, or those who make it look like they got into their dream college without hesitation. The cliche holds true: no one is perfect. 

Over time, social media has created this culture of perfectionism and filtering out the authentic parts of being human, which is long overdue for change.

Whether it be posting your college denial experiences at your own comfort, assuring others that that moment isn’t the end-all-be-all or even simply being real about the tough day you had — our generation can do better in terms of honesty on social media platforms.

None of us have a defectless life, and with something as tense and nerve-wracking as college acceptance or denial letters approaching, it’s time for us to flip the switch on our social media content. We can do better as a generation in decreasing anxiety, a strive for perfection and stress for people in the exact same boat as we are.

And that can start by being authentic on social media platforms.