Meet the County students behind the @flat11lancs TikTok account

‘We then just kept seeing the views go up and up, and before we knew it is was on 100k’

3 years ago

It’s week 20, therefore everyone is winding down for Easter and a well deserved break. How else are students spending their downtime apart from scrolling through TikTok? Well, five members from this Lancs flat have taken it that one step further and are spending their time filming and posting TikToks with relatable student content to help get us through those deadlines.

The members of @flat11lancs are first year County students Caitlin Young (biology), Jess Jones (sociology), Eleanor Morris (Fine Art), Jamie Pick (Geography and French) and Megan Luxford (Sociology and Criminology).

‘A good way to look back at first year and create memories’

As to why this TikTok account was created, Flat 11 told us: “We have seen other flats at different unis with TikTok accounts and had not got much to do during lockdown so it was something to help fill our time. We also thought it was a good way to look back at first year and create memories.”

First years aren’t experiencing the full uni experience, being robbed of what is often described at the best time of our lives. But to cope during these challenging times, it’s great to see that they’ve channelled their energy into something creative.

‘We just look at what’s trending’

Regarding the kind of content Flat 11 post, they told us that they get inspiration from TikToks trends. They said: “We just look at what’s trending or what comes up on our own for you pages and just adapt them to fit our flat’s personalities. We enjoy creating TikToks involving messing with out flat mates’ rooms, for example coving the door in duct tape or filling the room with post it notes.”

They obviously don’t take themselves too seriously and try to have fun using whatever means they can. As to the flatmate who got their door covered in duct tape… We’re sorry that you pulled the short straw.

‘All our friends from home have enjoyed the content and found it funny’

When asked about the reaction to their TikTok account, Flat 11 told us all about the positive response they’ve received from friends, family, and strangers they see around campus. They told us: “We have been walking campus on a number of occasions and when we have spoken to people, they have said are you the ones with the TikTok account? All our friends from home have enjoyed the content and found it funny. The account is a good ice breaker when it comes to meeting new people.”

Seems as if they are slowly but surely becoming local celebrities upon campus.

‘The next morning, we checked our phones and it was on 200k!’

@flat11lancsThe light was broken in the making #fyp #girlnight #lancaster #uni #lancaster #foryou #pictureday #boys #lancsuni ♬ original sound – julzz_x0x

One TikTok on their account has received quite a lot of attention. Following the trend of dressing up as a guy you fancy/ have slept with, Flat 11 gave it a twist and dressed up as Lancs sports boys.

The flat said: “At first we made is at a joke as we had spent the week trying to come up with what theme we could do for the weekend that included dressing up. Once we had made the TikKok we just carried on with our night as normal. Someone then decided to check their phone and saw it was on around 3k views after 20 minutes, and we had also had friends from home messaging us saying it had come up on their for you pages.

“We then just kept seeing the views go up and up, and before we knew it is was on 100k. We had a few funny comments on the video, and people were tagging their friends saying they want to recreate the video. The next morning, we checked our phones and it was on 200k! From there the views have still kept going up.”

@flat11lancs #university #british #lancaster #foryou #fyp #uni

♬ Don’t be suspicious – io non so

‘We are very excited for restrictions to be eased so we can go and experience more of Lancaster’

As first years, Flat 11 told us all about the struggles of socialising and meeting new people while at Lancaster University. They said: “We have found it difficult this year, as we came with the expectation to meet lots of new people and fill our time with socialising and indulge in a new way of learning. However, we haven’t had the opportunity to do any of this, as near enough from the first week we got here we have either been in isolation or in a national lockdown.

“Most of us haven’t attended in-person events since October, this has made it difficult to meet anyone on the same courses as us. Even with the limited social aspects at the moment we have still managed to make a lot of memories and are very lucky we were all put in a flat together. We are very excited for restrictions to be eased so we can go and experience more of Lancaster and the surrounding areas, whilst making more TikToks of course.”

‘The TikTok account has massively helped occupy our time here’

While being forced to stay inside, Flat 11, along with all first years on campus right now, are finding it difficult to find motivation to do uni work while in lockdown. With a lot of spare time on their hands, Flat 11 said: “The TikTok account has massively helped occupy our time here, as whilst in lockdown we haven’t had much to do and found ourselves stuck inside a lot.

“It has given us the motivation to get ready and dressed up at weekends even though there is not much going on at the moment. It holds many memories of first year so far.”

‘Exposing some embarrassing images of members of the account’

We asked Flat 11 if they have any plans for future TikTok content. They said: “We have a list of some TikToks we would like to make in the future, include more themed nights and potentially exposing some embarrassing images of members of the account.”

To follow @flat11lancs on TikTok, follow the link here.