“A happy accident” is how Caitlin would describe the creation of her TikTok account. Speaking to us in a small room in Pleasance, her accounts now stand at over 450,000 followers combined. Drawing people in through her personable demeanour, effortless fashion sense, and humorous videos, Caitlin’s videos exude a level of comfort yet excitement found only on a FaceTime with one’s closest friends. “It feels like the little community I’ve built online could actually be my friends”, she says, a true testament to the relatability of her content.
Starting TikTok in the depths of the Covid lockdown as a fresher provided her the perfect opportunity to begin her creation journey free from the watchful eyes of those on her campus. “There was no pressure of going to uni and people looking at you going, ‘Oh, I saw your TikTok’ that got ten likes last night. I just started doing it and I made this one Pistachio video”. Clearly, her humour worked. “I think I hit like 10,000 followers in a week and I was like, okay, let’s carry on with this, and here we are”.
Speaking on the inspiration behind her ‘Pistachio’ character, it seems she came from a point of rebellion. “During Freshers’ Week, someone called me posh, and I was a bit like oh, I haven’t really been called that before”. Not one to let such comments be swept away she decided, “let me show you the real thing, and it just went from there”. Choosing the name after a brief search through her pantry (“it was a lot of food-based stuff for some reason”) the character was born. “I love doing it”, she says, “sometimes I’ll just be sat at home and I suddenly go, oh my God, that would be hilarious”. Yet, she is also frank that she went through a period where the skits felt forced, believing it was the only thing people wanted to see. It is this hallmark honesty which makes her such a genuine and enjoyable figure to watch online.
Now studying for her Masters’ in Developmental Psychology at Edinburgh, Caitlin would certainly agree that her content has now evolved to a more mature yet personal place. “I’d say it’s progressed with me. Starting out it felt like the skits were my main thing and then a few people stuck around to watch my ‘me’ stuff. Whereas now it feels like it’s done a bit of a flip”. With her content now featuring a greater focus on her own life, Caitlin has felt more comfortable addressing subjects such as mental health on her platform. Speaking on a recent video of her embracing her alone time, she says “I need to make the most of it. I can’t keep being upset about feeling a bit alone… and the more people you speak to about it, the more normal it is”. It is unsurprising, then, that Caitlin has managed to amass such a loyal following over the past few years. Young people love her for her genuine relatability and honesty with university life. No longer the “posh girl from TikTok”, now Caitlin rejoices that she is known as “Caitlin from TikTok”- her experiences and insights have now been recentred as the driving force behind her content.
Moving to Edinburgh to start her masters was certainly a big change, having studied at a smaller, campus university for her undergrad. “Terrifying. I love it, but I found it very overwhelming when I first got here”. Unlike her experience as a fresher during undergrad, this move also came with the added weight of now being a known figure, though she was determined not to let this influence her ability to make friends. “It was easy to identify who just wanted a photo and a quick conversation, to kind of say, ‘I’ve met you’ sort of thing, versus the people that genuinely wanted to be my friend”. It is these perceptive insights which further make the characters in her skits so believable, almost like she is an expert in the art of people watching.
Hailing from a small countryside village, she has also found joy in Edinburgh’s historic architecture offset by rugged nature. Taking a trip to the Pentlands recently provided her with respite from the hustle of the city, with her favourite part of the city being the Meadows. Immersing herself in Edinburgh’s unique university culture has also been a highlight of her time here, whether that be dancing at a winter ceilidh, or attending the renowned sports’ ball. Oh, and there’s always time for a trip to Three Sisters, she tells us.
Throughout our conversation, I am enthralled by how natural our it feels. Whether it be her honesty in admitting that “bed-rotting” needs to be an “out” for 2025, or bonding over the battle for a seat in the Main Library, I am reminded constantly of a quote from earlier in our conversation. “Be kind to yourself”, she said. This sentiment is consistently echoed both in her content and in our discussion, reflecting what makes her such a magnetic figure to so many young people.
You can find Caitlin on Instagram @caitlinann.xx and TikTok @caitlinann_
Images provided by Caitlin Ann.