A Sussex student has been named most popular university TikToker

With quarantine and isolation becoming so normal for us this year, the rise of TikTok has been massive. As a welcome distraction from the impending apocalypse and uni work, students from all over the country have gone viral on the platform. But you may be wondering – who is the best student TikToker in the UK?

Well don’t worry, because My Student Halls have done all the hard work for us and collated the top TikTok-ing students, ranking them based on likes, followers and engagement. And at the very top of the TikTok chart was none other than our very own Yelena Zylko (@yelenazylko), whose viral vid featuring her quirky student house has wracked up over 13.2 million views and 3 million likes.

The Sussex Tab caught up with Yelena to find out how she was dealing with her newfound celeb status.

Were you surprised to be rated most popular student TikToker?

@yelena_zylko, Instagram

“It was a nice surprise! I was really shocked to see our TikTok had won the award! I really didn’t expect it to receive so much traction!”

Will you be continuing your TikTok career?

“I make TikToks generally when I don’t want to focus on uni work, so I think that I will definitely be making more in the future and I love that they are able to resonate with so many people.”

And finally, will this esteemed award be going on your CV?

“If I ever go into a career in the media then this will definitely be going on the top of my CV.”

Yelena beat out countless student TikTokers for the title, with Bristol’s @puzzlesbynathan, Hull’s @laylagraceallsop and Newcastle’s @max_balegde taking spots in second, third and fourth. Just proving you don’t have to be a Russel group to take the TikTok crown!

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• We spoke to the Sussex students behind THAT Tiktok of the strangest house in Brighton

• This is what your Sussex accommodation sounds like as a TikTok sound

• ‘Imagine the TikTok socials’ A group of Sussex students have set up a TikTok society