Pupils found my social media
I'm currently in my final year at uni training to become a music teacher, and I have public Instagram and TikTok accounts where I post covers of the music I'm learning at the time.
Some of the pupils from my placement school have found my accounts and have started liking, following and commenting on my posts.
I don't mind them seeing the content (it is public after all) but I'm wondering what the best way to handle interactions with them is while still maintaining professionalism.
I feel a bit awkward when they comment because I don't want to completely ignore them, but replying with something as simple as "thanks!" also feels a little unprofessional given that they're pupils, and I wouldn't want to accidentally cross any boundaries or get myself into trouble over social media contact.
Would it be more appropriate to just like their comment rather than reply to it? Or should I avoid interacting with their comments altogether?
Am I massively overthinking this? What's your thoughts and what would you do?