For these young adolescents, social media became a tool for identity formation . They shifted toward more curated Instagram feeds and TikToks that focused on "glow-ups," outfit of the day (OOTD), and music tastes that signaled maturity beyond their years.

The 2021 lifestyle and entertainment trend involving Sekolah Menengah Pertama or Junior High) and Sekolah Dasar

For SMP students, entertainment in 2021 was . They didn’t just watch content; they became the content. TikTok exploded as the dominant platform, not as a viewing app but as a stage. The "SMP vs. Bocah SD" trope itself became a viral meme, with older teens mocking the "cringe" dances of the younger kids. Entertainment meant mastering the latest Alvin and the Chipmunks speed-up challenge or creating POV (Point of View) videos about school crushes. Gaming was a social battleground. Mobile Legends was the lingua franca of male SMP students; losing a ranked match wasn't a game over, it was a social humiliation. Meanwhile, girls gravitated toward Genshin Impact for its aesthetic and character lore, or Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp for its quiet control. Streaming services like Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar became identity markers—binge-watching Alice in Borderland or WandaVision was a status symbol, whereas watching cartoons was "for kids."

If you spent any time on TikTok or YouTube in 2021, you likely noticed a strange phenomenon. The gap between "Bocah SD" (elementary students) and "Anak SMP" (junior highers) started to blur.