The strangest and most absorbing TikToks, according to Vaquera

Imagine making a video at a time like this. Iconic.

Martin Margiela said, ​“I also regretted the overdose of information carried by social media, destroying the ​‘thrill of wait’ and cancelling every effect of surprise” This sound clip is used for videos where the user unveils a crazy look half way through the video with the ​“flip, flip” part of the song. I’ve watched this TikTok 1000 times and I still get thrilled by the wait for such a bizarre surprise.

Not sure which parts of this makeup look are real or digital. Does it matter? Mood boarded.

Incredible storytelling and a hilarious read of Wattpad fan fiction circa 2014. This user is such a muse.

Love this chaotic posse. Is there anything more satisfying than killing time when you’re in high school?

A large part of TikTok is embodying a very concise mood. The look on the dog’s face, the wardrobe, the choreography, the sound selection: all 10s.

What a stunning portrait. I love the subject’s awareness of the camera.

One of my favorite users. When I tell people to get on TikTok almost everyone is like ​“That’s for kids.” IT’S NOT. This account is run by a 70-year-old woman with cancer who describes her day-to-day life running an online crochet shop. She often talks about how TikTok has given her a new lease on life. How it has connected her with so many new people and given her a reason to get up and get dressed every morning.

This level of earnest intensity is endlessly inspiring to me. Emo(tion) is alive and well on TikTok.

TikTok icon. Period. Queen Pinky got famous for making videos using a clip of Here I Go by Kash Doll where she pops in and out of the frame to the lyrics ​“Heard you bitches were looking for me/​bitch here I go.” Her account was recently deleted so a lot of the original videos were lost… I wonder if her coworkers at McDonald’s know how much joy she brings to millions of users?

Three videos completely changed the way I dance: Nothing Really Matters by Madonna, Little Bit by Lykke Li and this TikTok by Harvey Bass. I’ve been waiting for this song to come on at party for weeks.

Instead of generating a toxic feedback loop of FOMO posts, TikTok allows people to use their phone cameras almost like a musical instrument. The results can be really beautiful.

Wow, when are they going to start paying me for my promo???

I’m grateful to TikTok for providing an alternative to the stale, long-winded world of stand up comedy. This user is hilarious.

True Chaos. I’m relieved that I’m not the only one who feels this mentally disjointed at times.

Is it possible to be nostalgic for a past that you didn’t experience?

This user’s vibe is so inspiring. Even something so banal, like a trip to CVS, is riveting with her.

The crack of their custom made whips on the icy parking lot? I could watch this video over and over.

Another large part of TikTok is celebrating/​recording traditional artistic practices. This account is about a girl learning traditional Chinese painting from her grandmother(?). From the outside, TikTok can appear to be an obnoxious Gen Z time-suck that is erasing positive aspects of the past when, in fact, it is often quite the opposite.

There is a group of users who create a specific brand of amateur horror that is beyond terrifying. This mix of blasé fake accent humor and truly horrifying imagery could only exist on TikTok.

Love this concept as the modern equivalent of synchronized dance. I’m trying to get enough people together to try this IRL.