How To Live Without TikTok

If you’re still recovering from the temporary TikTok ban and feeling a bit put-off by the on-again-off-again nature of the app (it’s giving toxic situationship energy), we’ve got just the cure for you: a curated list of hobbies to entertain yourself that don’t involve swiping, liking, commenting, or reposting. Enjoy!

1. Reading (non-BookTok books)

Reading is a hobby that has stood the test of time, and for good reason. It has evolved with the times, from the classic, thought-provoking works of our ancestors to books that are popular simply for having the “one bed” trope. However, our hope as humble flyby writers is that the post-TikTok world will make a transition from smut and spice to flyby articles. Wishful thinking?

That said, TikTok’s proven unreliability has forced us to come to terms with a life without it. How are we to survive without what many of us rely on for inspiration, news, advice, recipes, and everything else we never knew we needed? We read.

Read that book about the psychology of getting over your breakup instead of listening to an influencer who definitely potentially fabricated a breakup for views. Catch up on The Harvard Crimson every morning for your news (or subscribe to the flyby newsletter, Harvard Today). Buy a cookbook. Finally read that classic that you have been putting off because you wanted to read the newest TikTok-approved romantasy series instead.

2. Walks

Without TikTok, we lose more than a boredom remedy. Without TikTok, we are no longer relieved of the tiresome task of having to come up with our own ideas or think our own thoughts. Scroll on TikTok for a while, and you’ll find a video telling you how to handle your toxic situationship, something that sparks an idea for your thesis, and someone telling you what clothes you absolutely need for 2025, all in the span of five minutes.

What are we to do without something that provides so much to our lives? How do we come up with such groundbreaking ideas on our own? It’s simple. We move. We walk. A walk is a beautiful thing that forces a person to grapple with their thoughts, look at the world around them, and maybe even gain some gratitude for life without an app. If you can brave the cold, snowy Cambridge weather, a walk might be just what you need to allow yourself to figure out what you want to do with your life and how to get there. Maybe not. But there’s a chance.

3. Podcasts

Podcasts are, simply put, the best attention span-friendly way to fill the void TikTok created. Honestly, they’re a way to fill more voids than just TikTok. Feeling bored? Listen to a podcast on why boredom is positive for your cognitive function. Feeling lonely? Tune into a gossip-filled podcast that makes it feel like you’re the podcaster’s friend. Feeling like you just need to rant about how reading flyby has changed your life, or you’ll explode? Pick up the microphone and give it a whirl.

You can even listen while cleaning, working out, or doing a pset (fingers crossed). Podcasts don’t allow reposting, liking, or saving, but they do still provide the opportunity to get the attention of the ex that blocked you on everything. The flyby-certified best way to break no contact? Make a podcast. Reconnect on podcast-bro Spotify. The possibilities are endless.

4. Puzzles

To answer your question: no. Puzzling isn’t just for elementary school kids or grandparents. The same energy that you dedicate towards scrolling through videos on your “for you page” and piecing together drama that involves your favorite content creators can be applied to finding the missing corner piece of a 1,000 piece puzzle. It’s a similar action, just in a different font.

Puzzling is also a great way to channel your stress and avoid falling into a TikTok black hole that eats up hours of your day (definitely not speaking from personal experience). Nervous about classes starting back up again? Puzzle. Annoyed about the frigid weather and have no energy to go outside? Puzzle. Having a quarter-life crisis about your concentration again? Grab as many puzzles as you can — 20-piece ones, 100-piece ones, etc. You get the point.

5. DIY Crafts

TikTok is the new Pinterest, offering endless influencer recommendations on fashion, makeup, and lifestyle to its users. If you’re anything like us, you probably have a handful of screenshots of shirts, books, and cool jewelry you saved to purchase at a later time. Well, since saving money and not falling into every consumerism trap is in for 2025, it’s the perfect time to start DIY-ing some of these items.

For instance, instead of buying a $50+ embroidered hoodie, take a trip to your local thrift store and Michaels to find a plain hoodie and cute patches you would want to iron on. Similarly, instead of going all out on an expensive charm necklace, buy the raw materials yourself — chains, unique charms, the whole shebang — and create an even cooler and less generic necklace that screams you to a tee. Bonus points if you invite your friends to your DIY session and make an evening out of it!

6. Scrapbooking

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a scrapbook is worth millions. While TikTok often showcases digital scrapbooks of users gushing about their closest friends in a CapCut slideshow, there is something to be said for physical collections of your most cherished memories. If you’ve ever flipped through a scrapbook or photo album your parents made and felt bittersweet nostalgia, there is even more reason to start your own collection.

So, take another trip to your local arts-and-crafts store to find a scrapbook (and stickers or other optional decorations), and then head to CVS to buy a few one-time-use film cameras for a more vintage look (if you so desire). Then, grab your best friends and family members, live in the moment, and say cheese as often as you can! Your future self will thank you.

7. New extracurriculars

New year, new you, right? If you want to keep up with your long list of resolutions for the new semester, try comping new clubs! We understand that commitment is scary, and putting yourself out there again after you have been burned by the Harvard Undergraduate Caffeine Group is not on the top of your FWOC to-do list. But, hey. Flyby is here to welcome you with open arms and more Trader Joe’s snacks than any sane person could possibly consume in a year. So, take that leap and comp clubs (just flyby really).

With the app’s uncertain future, you never know when you may have to pull these tips — instead of your phone — out of your back pocket!