Spend a Day in the Life of Student TikTokers

With 24.4k TikTok followers, Marić Marić content grew by her just being herself. Source: Supplied / Elise Marić. 

TikTok influencers are the new wave of overnight success stories. These days, it seems anyone can blow up online – TikTok is the platform for opportunity. But how do influencers balance their real life with their TikTok life, especially as a student?  

Canta spoke with two of your FYP’s favorite student TikTokers, who have managed to find the perfect balance with university life while documenting it all to thousands of followers. 

With more than 24,000 followers and close to three million likes, Elise Marić is a student TikToker whose following grew when she moved to Otago to document her fresher experience. 

“I was showing my friends that what you hear about Dunedin is all true,” said Marić. From there, her platform evolved to ‘day in my life’ videos, documenting what she gets up to as a Communications student in Otago. 

Having just graduated, Marić now posts daily content of working life: still the realities of what she eats, wears, and does each day, paired with trending music. 

Despite her large following, Marić said she never felt like she had a huge platform and therefore no pressure to make TikToks other than for the fun of it, instead telling herself “no one is watching”. 

“I actually don't think I ever felt nervous,” laughed Marić. “The only thing that stresses me out is when people I know see my TikToks. But then I have no problem sharing it with anonymous people. It doesn't matter, they don't know me.” 

Marić also gained traction by posting content while on exchange in Dublin. “I'm so glad I posted lots during exchange because that was the best six months of my life”.  

With 80% of her following down in Dirty Dunners, Marić mostly gets recognised during drunken nights out. 

Marić’s most viewed TikTok was her trying on her hot-pink ‘dream dress’. The video reached 2.5 million views. 

“My notifications for TikTok are off, so I didn't know until one of my flatmates was laughing about it… I was just scrolling through the comments, I'd say half of them were hate.” 

Marić didn’t care about the negative response. “I think it's such a shallow thing to hate about, so it wasn't that deep because it's not like they're hating on me personally. It's just a dress and I still love the dress!” 

Another positive thing Marić did on TikTok to stray away from the toxicity of social media is shave her hair for cancer and document the whole process. 

Not only did Marić get random internet strangers supporting and donating to the Cancer Society, but people who have also shaved their hair continue to message her. 

“They literally told me I inspired them… so that’s amazing and so cool to have an influence on such an important cause,” said Marić. “It’s crazy how such a small gesture can grow to help so many more people than anticipated.” 

“It's so cliché, but just be yourself,” is Marić’s top TikToking tip for making the most of positivity on the platform. Source: Supplied / Elise Marić. 

But putting yourself out there on social media does come with challenges. “I think with social media in general, I've noticed I’ve got a whole new plethora of insecurities… But that's very normal with how much social media we’re exposed to,” said Marić.  

Balance university life and posting daily content was “easy” for Marić, because she was just sharing her daily life. “Content creation isn’t a full-time job for me, so it didn't feel like I was balancing anything.” 

Although TikToking can be a good way to make money, Marić stated that “it has to come from a place of passion and enjoyment” because it’s easy to tell what content is inauthentic. 

Marić described the biggest challenge is one most of us face: “It’s very easy to become consumed in TikTok… but I think it's important to switch off and not constantly think ‘this would make a good TikTok’ and [instead] enjoy the moment.” 

“Sometimes you feel like as soon as the camera comes out, you have to put on this facade, I'm guilty of it sometimes… but it's so important to leave in the offcuts and quirks,” said Marić. 

The balance of the TikToking life also comes naturally to UC student Freyja Marshall, who also began making TikToks in her first year. 

The third-year Strategic Communications student said, “I have always loved video and editing… I think why I've been able to keep going with this because you do actually need to enjoy that behind-the-scenes stuff to post.” 

It takes Marshall around an hour to create each video. Her goal is posting three each day to keep consistent. 

“If I'm not at hockey, uni, or at work, then I'm just on social media making videos, engaging with my followers.” She corrected herself – “No, not my followers, my friends.” 

Marshall tries to achieve the lifestyle TikTok aesthetic, from beauty to fitness to fashion. She is “living day by day and just having fun”. 

With 1,500+ TikTok followers, Freyja Marshall describes herself as a “geek” for content creation. Source: Supplied / Freyja Marshall. 

Like Marić, Marshall believes that’s the secret to balancing online and offline life.  

“Why I think it's so sustainable and I've been able to carry on for the past three years, is because I'm just I'm just filming my life. I'm not putting on an act or anything,” said Marshall. 

Editing videos whenever she can – on the walk to uni or before work – isn’t a chore for Marshall, who loves the process of content creation and is working hard to grow her platform even further. 

Marshall’s most-viewed videos blew up when she least expected it. Recently, she posted a Whittakar’s chocolate taste test which gained more than 62,000 views. 

“Oh my gosh. Why did it blow up like that? I was having such a bad day, [just] sitting in my car tasting chocolate and it just starts to blow up.” 

But it’s not always easy to stay positive, so Marshall does her best to be open on her platform. “There are times when I’m just not feeling the best and that did reflect on my content a lot, but I really tried not to hide it.” 

“I do not care what people think about me” – Freyja Marshall. Source: Supplied / Freyja Marshall. 

It used to ruin Marshall’s day when she didn’t get the views she hoped for, but now she doesn’t focus on the numbers. “I really stay away from looking at views and likes because at the end of the day, like it really doesn't matter.” 

Being a recognised student TikToker at UC doesn’t faze Marshall, who believes we are all mature enough not to judge. 

“I do not care what people think about me.” 

Both TikTokers acknowledge that social media gets a bad rap, with negative effects on mental health and opportunities it provides to spread hate. But these women are committed to creating positive content to highlight good things the platform can offer.  

Marshall said, “It’s so cringe but what I'm trying to do on my platform is send out positive vibes… It's let’s just live our life… it's not it's not that deep. Just have fun with it and dream big.”