By Sophie Hamill and Isabella Cary

TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms among college students, influencing how they spend their free time, connect with friends, and approach their academic responsibilities. To better understand its impact, three University of Denver students were asked four questions: What do you think your TikTok screen time is? What is your actual TikTok screen time? How does TikTok affect your study time? And do you see TikTok in a positive or negative way?

One of the most surprising findings was that all three students severely overestimated the amount of time they spend on the app. One student guessed that their daily TikTok usage was “like three hours a day,” while another estimated, “I want to say, like, two hours.” A third student also believed they spent around “two hours a day probably.” However, after checking their screen time reports, the results were much lower than expected. One student’s daily average was only 36 minutes, while another’s was approximately 30 minutes.

When asked why they spend time on TikTok, all three students described it as a source of entertainment and relaxation. One student explained, “It’s usually when I’m bored, when I’m lazy, and I’m taking a homework break.” They also noted that the platform serves as a social tool, saying it provides “entertainment” and allows them to send videos to friends, creating a sense of “community too.” Another student shared that they use TikTok “to de-stress after classes or while I’m eating,” adding that they scroll through the app during almost any free moment.

The students had different perspectives on how TikTok influences their academic performance. The first interviewee, Michelle Greenburg, who is studying pre-med, actually views TikTok as a helpful educational resource. She explained that “there’s a lot of fun creators who make videos on mnemonics and stuff,” and that the platform has “actually helped me quite a bit memorizing things for my classes.” For her, TikTok can be more than entertainment; it can also be a learning tool.

The other students focused more on the platform’s ability to encourage procrastination. The second interviewee, Sasha Wintner, admitted that “it’s hard to start studying because there are other more fun things to do.” However, she also admitted that once they begin working, she is “pretty good at putting my phone down and not touching it.”

The last student we interviewed, Eden Aklilu, described TikTok as part of a cycle of procrastination and stress. She explained, “I think it’s just making me procrastinate more honestly.” As deadlines approach, Eden find herself turning to TikTok as a distraction. “My stress gets higher, but then I can de-stress by using TikTok,” she said. “So it’s like it’s just a loop. It’s just a cycle that’s hard.”

The final question asked students whether they view TikTok positively or negatively. None of the participants gave an entirely positive response. One student described their perspective as “neutral” because the platform can have both positive and negative effects. They pointed out that social media often encourages comparison, explaining that users may watch videos and “feel bad about yourself because you don’t look like them, you don’t act like them, you don’t have the same lifestyle as them.” At the same time, they acknowledged that TikTok can be educational and beneficial for mental health when used appropriately.

Michelle felt that TikTok is largely negative, stating, “I would say for the most part it would be negative, like all social media for me.” She viewed the platform as a major contributor to distraction and procrastination despite getting her study tricks from the app.

Sascha also described TikTok as mostly neutral. She explained that because they grew up with strict social media rules, therefore she developed a healthier relationship with these platforms. While they do not think TikTok significantly affects their own mental health, she acknowledged that she was not in the norm for this behavior.

Overall, these interviews reveal that TikTok plays a complex role in the lives of college students. While it can provide entertainment, social connection, and even educational benefits, it can also contribute to procrastination, stress, and unhealthy comparison. Rather than being entirely positive or negative, TikTok’s impact appears to depend on how students choose to use it and the role it plays in their daily lives.