All around Plant, we see students scrolling through their phones and catching up on the latest videos. Social media has become a huge part of how teenagers spend their free time. Whether we are walking to class or sitting in the cafeteria, it is almost guaranteed that someone nearby is looking at a screen. But for some students, these apps are not just for watching content. They are actually using them to create it.
Building an audience online takes a lot of time and consistency. It is a modern project that requires understanding what viewers want to see. It can also be a fun environment with friends. Peers playfully track follower statistics, joking in the background when another creator is “gaining on us.” For these students, making videos is just a fun hobby that they really enjoy doing outside of their regular school hours.
People want to be famous, but no one looks at the larger realities of it. Confidence is one of the most important parts. Without confidence, it is difficult to feel secure in what you are posting and handle negative reactions. On the internet, there will always be people who disagree or criticize.
“I want to bring value to the world,” says Rafael Makanovitsky (11). “I try not to share too much about my personal life, and I’m trying to not be 100% myself because I don’t want people getting into my life that I don’t know. I like having a small circle.”
Creating videos can also lead to opportunities for promotion, allowing some students to earn income through social media. Often, this comes in the form of brand promotions. Werhell says she has received more than $50,000 in PR over the past six months since starting her TikTok account, which has grown quickly.
Werhell has gone from 0 to 200,000 followers in a year since opening her account, with most of that growth happening in the last six months. “I just want to do it now because it’s a good differentiator for my resume,” says Werhell. “I want to go to college and become an engineer, so I’ll probably stop once I go to college so I can focus on my academics.”
Social media is impactful; however, it is not always stable, as things can change quickly. Like any public figure, creators have to be careful about what they post and how they present themselves. If they rely on it as a main source of income, they risk losing that stability. Because of this, many influencers do not treat it as a long-term career, instead seeing it as a tool or a side opportunity.
“I started creating content because I wanted people to use my products and market my startup,” says Makanovitsky.
Many people see influencers as products, but it is important to remember they are still real people and are capable of making mistakes.