THE POWER OF “GRWM” TIKTOK VLOGS

Influencer culture in daily life

By Sophia Falbo

Anyone with a TikTok account has surely come across at least one “Get Ready With Me” video, or more commonly referred to as “GRWM,” on their For You Page. Somehow those short, less than a minute videos of, typically women, getting ready are so satisfying. Watching someone get ready for school, work, dinner with friends – normal routine things that we all do – feels like such an intimate, and inside scoop into that TikToker’s life.

Despite not knowing the person getting ready in the TikTok, most of the time viewers feel instantly comfortable with this person, because they’re getting the “behind-the-scenes” clips of how much time and work it really takes to prepare for events. TikTokers, like Deanna Giulietti, often ask their audience for outfit advice in the comments section; allowing TikTok’s platform to involve audience participation and clothing inspiration.

Additionally, the transformation that occurs by the end of the video, when they finish getting ready, is so pleasing. “GRWM” videos can fuel productivity and empower females around the globe, especially with this new “IT” girl influx that is trending, with everything healthy from spin classes, to green juices, to even slicked back olaplex buns!

Aside from a [small] handful of the population, it’s usually a bit of a struggle for most people to wake up in the morning. Hearing that dreaded sound of an alarm ruining sleep is typically not the most delightful noise to hear bright and early. And, what comes after you actually pull yourself out of bed – whether that be after five or fifteen times hitting snooze – getting ready and trying to look *somewhat* presentable, is equally as difficult.

Yet, somehow, we all love watching strangers on TikTok do this daily routine. Is it because we are inspired at how easy most of them make it look? Is it because we want to try mimicking their getting ready process, which usually includes waking up early, doing some form of exercise, journaling, and treating yourself to an overpriced latte? Whatever your reason may be for watching and loving every single second of GRWM vlog-style videos on TikTok, I’m here to say enjoy!

GRWM videos deserve to be recognized for their power in influencing the entire female community, to embrace who they are and romanticize even the small, often disliked parts of their day. Just the mere fact that there are women who feel comfortable enough to share some of the more intimate details of their life, on such a large platform like TikTok is incredible. The whole “IT” girl trend goes hand-in-hand with the body positivity movement that is simultaneously happening on TikTik currently, and similarly, is very uplifting for females, or really anyone.

$7 iced lattes, “hot girl” walks, and 12-step skincare routines are all things you may find throughout a GRWM TikTok; as well as less glamorized aspects of life, such as doing homework to try and fuel productivity with the audience. Whether it’s to actually complete an assignment, or for the mere satisfaction of crossing off an item on your planner’s checklist, doing homework and studying are both tasks we constantly have to do.

Sometimes, it is even more dreaded than hearing the sound of your first alarm in the morning. For some reason, watching someone else do their homework and study often encourages us to open up our laptops/notebooks and get started on our own work. Even watching TikTokers, like Callie Wilson, cram for huge exams and grind out research papers can inspire us to (eventually) close the TikTok app and use some of their helpful studying tips.

Aside from dancing, comedy, and food TikToks, GRWM videos are arguably the most entertaining to watch, and constantly flood our For Your Pages. They influence viewers on many aspects of their lives, including what to wear, where to exercise, and how to study. More importantly, GRWM videos shine light on females worldwide and have instilled a new sense of confidence in both female content creators and viewers. Whether you watch GRWM videos everyday, have never come across one before, or even occasionally make them yourself, they are definitely a trend that is not going away anytime soon!