Northern Ireland postwoman delivering to millions on TikTok

She's the postwoman who always delivers... and she has reached more than 100,000 followers on TikTok documenting her life in Northern Ireland.

Terezita Doherty has also racked up more than four million 'likes' on her account, all thanks to her unique videos.

But becoming a social media sensation was not part of her plans.

The 28-year-old, from Belfast, said it all came about while she was on a skiing trip with her sister when she suggested the joining the social network that was growing in popularity.

"I was like there is no chance, I am too old for that," she told UTV.

"And then we started making videos on holidays and whenever I came home I was like 'I'm not really doing much other than university and work, I don't have a hobby' and then I just started making videos and some of them got a bit of traction."

Admitting that she's not a social media specialist, Terezita added: "I don't have the algorithm worked out, I'm not very good with sounds, I just kind of post when and where I want so I could be behind on trends.

"So when a video does stick and kind of get to millions of views, I'm asking, 'Well, where did that come from?'

"There was two that I posted that were just off the cuff and it was just a bit of fun as that was the trend and they got like five million views. I'm always kind of shocked because it's not a regular thing, it doesn't happen all the time.

"There's videos that I've made that I've spent eight hours making, like hair tutorials and they get no traction and then I do one about me being the only person of colour in my family and that gets hundreds of thousands of views because people are like, 'No way, and you're Irish?' and I'm just like yeah - it is what it is'."

With more than 100,000 pairs of eyes on her account, Terezita admitted being a TikTok star can be a little "strange".

She explained: "I know all those numbers aren't watching every video I post but that's still mad... I'm a postwoman so when I'm out and about if someone says they love my TikToks, I think it's so weird.

"Whenever I put a video out, I just leave it and I'll look to see if it is going viral or whatever... so when someone does mention it, it is really strange.

"One of my cousins in Australia she sent me one of my TikToks and told me I was on her 'For You Page'.

"I do get people, when I'm delivering a parcel, that will come running out and say, 'You're my postwoman, I love your TikToks.'

"With the videos that have gone viral, say in Australia or America, they're always my talking videos because I think people are always really surprised that somebody who lives here looks like me..."

And there is one recurring theme when it comes to Terezita's videos - the animals she meets while out making deliveries.

She laughed: "Somebody actually said on TikTok, 'You're like a Disney Princess, all these animals just come to you, but you've got bills to pay so you don't have time'.

"Anytime it does happen, it happens on breaks so I'm able to finish my work and get on with my day.

"I love being out in nature and I've always wanted to work with animals. I then just think that's a great wee aspect that I have, being out in nature, it's great."

Throughout our digital series we have highlighted the dark side of social media and the negative comments that can come with having a large following.

Terezita said: "I would say that I am very lucky, as in I've never really had anything that's made me think 'everybody hates this', it's normally one or two comments which is fine, but I've not had a video flooded with hate...

"Being from Belfast and being black, you'll have people that will comment on that, that sort of way, but it's never been anything that I haven't been able to just say, 'it is what it is'.

"There are so many more good comments than bad comments, so I'm not going to dwell on the bad ones." 

Some of Terezita's content highlights experiences she's had as a black woman living in Northern Ireland, with one video recreating an interaction when she was asked, 'Where are you really from?'

She said: "Over here I think every person of colour has had an interaction like that. For me, it always seems to kind of be the older generation so I wouldn't blatantly say that it's racism, I would say it's maybe slight ignorance.

"No one has ever said it to me in a way that I have felt really bad about it.

"I don't think they are doing it in any sort of malicious way... whereas if they were then I would call them out and say something but once again anybody that says it online doesn't even have a picture... I just think it's ignorance."

And what advice would she give someone hoping to make it big on TikTok?

Terezita said: "I would say find your niche maybe... you want to find your niche and keep working at it, keep using trending sounds and try and use your voice as much as possible.

"Don't get too disheartened on it, it's an app, it changes some people's lives but at the end of the day it is just an app - people will forget about you in five minutes, so don't dwell too much on the negativity or what people have to say."

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