12 Best & Worst TikTok Trends That Defined 2021

TikTok was a lifesaver during the global pandemic, especially as it dominates trends that could be educational, hilarious and weird, horrifying, and discomforting. It became a worldwide phenomenon over three years ago, and at the moment, it’s still on the top of its game. 

In 2021, the platform overtook Google as the most popular site, and unsurprisingly, it had spawned some ridiculous trends which its users used in attaining viral fame. While it seems TikTok is slightly associated with dangerous stunts, it’s reported the site’s users were between 10 and 19. 

This age bracket is where part of the brain responsible for impulse management is still woefully underdeveloped. And indeed, the age group, according to Sabrina Skyes, a psychologist at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center, is likely to engage in socially rewarding behavior and gravitate toward thrill-seeking without a focus on consequences. 

Here’re The Worst TikToks Of 2021: 

The Bathroom Challenge

 This trend encouraged hurting people, just like the teeny-bopper version of Project Mayhem in Fight Club. The bathroom challenge dared the US high school students to steal and destroy school property, particularly the restroom, and document their vandalism acts online. Also named the devious lick challenge, the stunt resulted in the damage and theft of everything from toilet stalls to soap dispensers.  Max Orston, a student at Riverwood High School in Georgia, had claimed someone tried to unbolt a urinal. The chaotic stunt even prompted school administrators worldwide to shutter bathrooms to mitigate the damage. 

@thememeuwu When people destroy the school bathrooms be like… #fyp #bathroomchallenge original sound – AKSashee

The Slap A Teacher Challenge. 

This trend had dared students to film themselves assaulting teachers and sharing the videos on social media. In September 2021, faculty at numerous schools warned of the perverse pastime, but it didn’t materialize until the following month when Larrianna Jackson, a Louisiana High School student, was arrested and charged with the felony battery of her 64-Year-Old English Teacher, who uses a wheelchair. 

@thekevinjthompson

Slap A Teacher Challenge #slapateacher

original sound – Kevin Thompson

At the time, investigators seized the students’ cellphones who recorded the attack, but not before the clip had been disseminated on social media. And while the police blamed the assault on the TikTok challenge, the platform instantly denied ever prompting the slap stunt. They tweeted, saying: “The rumored slap a teacher dare is an insult to educators everywhere. And while this is not a trend on TikTok, if at any point it shows up, the content will be removed.”

@verniegirl

Slap a teacher challenge…RIGHTTTTT

♬ original sound – user1024029245991

The Dry Scooping Challenge.

@brivtny #greenscreenvideo who would’ve known a video of me after a traumatic experience would go viral LMFAOAOAO #preworkout #heartattack #viral ♬ original sound – Caramel Express

A pre-workout protein powder is labeled 18+, yet it has become popular among teen gym junkies. A dangerous method of ingestion is dry scooping, also known as eating the muscle mix without water, which became a trend that racked millions of views on TikTok. While doctors cautioned against the practice, which they revealed can lead to choking, injury and death, overconsumption, and accidental inhalation, a 20-Year-Old influencer [pictured above] suffered a heart attack past summer after mainlining some of the undiluted supplement.

@gatraining Should you dry scoop your pre-workout? #powerlifting #fitness #fyp ♬ original sound – Gavin Adin

The Magnet Challenge. 

This magnet for hazard appeared innocent enough; young children feign tongue piercings on camera by placing round magnetic balls on the tops and bottoms of their lollipop lickers. However, it proved unsafe when the 11-Year-Old UK-based named Ellis Tripp had multiple magnets extracted from his stomach, resulting in several inches of his bowel being removed. 

The hospital shared that Ellis was the 5th kid they had admitted for the same condition. In a bad case in March, the doctors had been forced to remove the appendix, small intestine, and part of the large intestine from a 9-Year-Old UK boy who had ingested six magnets during the viral challenge.

The Milk Create Challenge.

This challenge saw people attempting to traverse a pyramid of precariously stacked milk crates. The first stunt was shared on Facebook by Kenneth Waddell in August, and it soon migrated quickly to TikTok with clout-seeking individuals sharing their videos. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburg Steelers wide receiver, took an ill-advised stab at the trend ahead of the team’s opening game in September, and thankfully, he scaled through without any injuries. However, TMCC sparked outrage in the medical community that TikTok vowed to remove any videos showing foolhardy feet.

The Blackout Challenge.

This challenge saw participants hold their breath until they passed out. However, it experienced a disappointment when it surfaced on TikTok, mainly as young users performed the stunt on camera. It resulted in multiple fatalities, with the newest saw 10-Year-Old Nyla Anderson pronounced dead after being found unconscious in her Pennsylvania home. At the time, TikTok spokesperson’s told The Post: “We remain vigilant in our commitment to user safety and would immediately remove related content if found.”

The Shoot Up Your School Challenge. 

In December, an anonymous TikToker announced multiple school shootings would happen on the 17th. This prompted schools across the nation to tighten their security, sending letters to parents in anticipation of the challenge. Thankfully, it never went down, and the authorities had tweeted on Dec. 16th that the threat was not credible. However, the hoax proved frightening when it happened less than a month after Ethan Crumbly, 15, opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four people and injuring seven.

@brittnicole0701 STOP BRINGING 🔫 TO SCHOOL! #crime #crimetok #crimetiktok #crimejunkie #truecrime #truecrimecommunity #breakingnews #school #gun #schoolshoot #stop ♬ original sound – Brittany Hill

The Tic-Tok.

Even without participating in most of the dangerous challenges, Doctors warned of a terrible phenomenon in which young girls reportedly exhibit tic-like symptoms, which they have since attributed to parroting popular influencers with Tourette syndrome and pandemic stress.

The Watermelon Mustard Challenge.

This challenge involved eating a watermelon slice slathered in French’s mustard. TikToker @yayayayummy described the trend as the perfect marriage between sweet and vinegary. But most people, including famous flutist Lizzo, disagreed. 

@lizzo #stitch with @yayayayummy ♬ original sound – lizzo

Here’re The Best TikToks Of 2021:

The Goblincore

The Goblincore racked hundreds of millions of shares as people flooded TikTok with videos celebrating the elfin-eared. Content mostly ranged from cosplay, contouring tips for the green-skinned, coven dances, and other goblin-related pursuits, including online Renaissance Fair. In one clip, a Goblincore adherent encounters a Sapphire-skinned Orclings nibbling on a plant in their garden.

@izzybizarre 🤷🤷🤷#goblincore #nonbinary #dnd #cosplay #cryptid #nerd #enby #renfaire #makeup #bodypaint ♬ I like bread – ❛ 𝑻𝑶𝐌𝐌𝐘 .

The Quit-Tok 

Amid the pandemic, this trend was dubbed the great resignation, and indeed Generation Z unemployed flooded the internet to celebrate quitting their jobs. The reasons for their resignations included bad management and the need to focus on their psychological well-being. TikTok @Kileerainbow wrote how she decided to leave her job after realizing it wasn’t worth her mental health.

@olivetrizzle just walked out my job lol wbu?? no but fr i was miserable and FED UP. #job #quit #foryou #lol #fyp #oops #work ♬ original sound – kyn

The Tik-Docs.

The popularity of physicians sharing TikTok clips surged in June after Dr. Anthony Youn, a Detroit plastic surgeon, slammed medical experts for dismissing breast implant illness. The doctor shared videos on everything from p*nis length to the hazards of sleeping in the nude. Dr. Youn bit both br**sts and butt implants in one of his clips to see more durable. 

@tonyyounmd Answer @Beads It’s a question that DEMANDS an answer! Which is stronger? #breastimplant #buttimplant ♬ original sound – Anthony Youn, MD

The Strip-Tok

In 2021, Sex workers increasingly shed light on their often stigmatized profession. In a challenge named Strip Tok, exotic dancers tackled topics ranging from picking the perfect stage name to explaining the nature of their gig to her kid. They equally stripped away the misconceptions that exotic dancers are bad parents or come from broken homes.

@thisisnotskyhopscotch I make money and buy my kid toys. 👍🏼 #striptok #fyp #BestSeatInTheHouse ♬ Sunny Day – Ted Fresco

@Sky Hopscotch had said: “I think when myself and other StripTokers put ourselves out there, it’s opening away for a lot of other sex workers and dancers who might not have normally come out and come forth about being a dance because of fear of judgment.”

@thisisnotskyhopscotch Stage names. #striptok #fyp #foryou #safetyfirst ♬ Lofi – Domknowz