Model Menno Idink @menno.idink TikTok: @menno.idink. Visit thelonelyavocado.com for part two of the exclusive interview x Vanity Teen online!
Q) What type of future do you want to see for yourself?
A) I’m not a person who thinks a lot about the future. I always try to live in the moment instead of planning what to do next. I’m now in my last year of high school and I plan on going to university afterward, but I still don’t know what I want to study. In the long term, I just want to do something I enjoy doing. I’d love to move to the US, especially LA, and focus on social media and modeling.
Q) If you were left stranded on an island and could only bring one CD, one type of food and one movie, what would you bring?
A) If I were stranded I would bring the album ‘Perception’ by NF. It’s one of the few albums where I like every single song on the album. These songs inspire me and are full of life lessons, which makes me listen to them on repeat. Food I could not survive without are chicken nuggets. I eat them at least three times a week; you could wake me up in the middle of the night to eat them. As a child, I was a huge fan of Harry Potter. I think I’ve watched every single movie over five times. I used to imagine going to Hogwarts and living in this world myself. Although I’ve watched these movies so many times, they never get boring. If I have to choose one of the movies, I’d bring Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Q) What is your favorite part about social media and what would be something about social media you wish would change?
A) I love how much social media helped me gain confidence. The large amount of support and compliments is overwhelming. They helped me to see myself in ways I was never able to. It’s easy to talk yourself down and my followers showed me there is no reason to so. I see a positive change on social media where more people hype others up, rather than lower the self-esteem of others, which I think is awesome and so important. I do however get lots of comments saying ‘I wish I was this confident’ or ‘What’s it like to be perfect?’ I believe this might the problem with social media. People should realize that not everything is as perfect as it pretends to be on social media. Influencers or so-called ‘perfect people’ have off days too: they choose what they show to the public.
People should not talk themselves down because they see a ‘perfect someone’ on their screen, when you never know what the situation is like off camera. You should gain confidence from social media, instead of comparing yourself to others.
Q) What do you do for fun in your spare time?
A) Besides social media, being creative has always been a part of me. My very first TikTok was a video where I painted a Burberry pattern on my wall. Even though I barely do it, I love painting and drawing portraits of people. When I was little I drew all over the walls and furniture. I even remember my mom in tears after drawing on our new couch with a marker. I live close to a huge lake. When the weather is good, everybody takes their boats, connects them and we have boat parties on the water, which is my most favourite thing to do. Lastly, I love to drive around with friends in the car or on scooters. It gives me the feeling of freedom, which I think is one of the best ways to experience life.
Q) What platform do you think people need to be using right now to gain the most exposure possible?
A) I’d definitely suggest using TikTok. The reach of TikTok is huge, making it easy for your videos to blow up. Post things that you are comfortable with and take your own twist on current trends. Your videos might pop up anywhere in the world, helping you to reach a very wide and international audience. Also, TikTok allows you to meet so many new people. Besides learning about the culture and other lifestyles, it makes it possible to collaborate with potential influencers. Lastly, you can link your Instagram and YouTube in your bio, so your followers can add you on those platforms too, helping you grow even further.
