Last week, I talked about the darker side of the Internet; specifically, YouTube. However, I did mention that there were some very positive and amazing parts as well. The connections I made during my time on YouTube are like nothing you would imagine. WARNING: This article contains lots of cringe worthy pictures of me. You have been warned!!!

I made a lot of friends through YouTube. The cool thing is, is that our relationships expanded passed YouTube, and into "real life." Hannah was the first person I met outside of YouTube. She is a few years younger than me, but our friendship was extremely strong. We spent our nights video chatting, making videos together, and laughing at crazy videos. One day we were talking and the topic of where we lived came up. She said she lived about 3 hours from me, but I was so surprised that we both lived in North Carolina. We were dying to meet each other, but 3 hours was pretty long, especially when neither of us could actually drive. Then I remembered I was going to be in Boone to move my brother into his apartment, and asked her if she wanted to sleepover with me there. After our moms talked on the phone for what seemed like forever, they agreed that she could stay one night with me and another on of my friends. I couldn't believe my parents and hers had actually agreed to it! I was meeting someone off of the internet, something my parents told me to NEVER do. When the night finally came, my friend Tatianna and I got our cameras out and filmed the whole meet-up. We were so excited. When we finally met her, it was so incredible. There in front of me was someone who I had only seen on a screen. We got along so well, just like we normally did not face to face. We even did a live stream last night for about 70 of our "fans." We made videos together and surprised some of our other YouTube friends since they didn't know we were meeting up. It was one of the coolest experiences ever. Hannah and I met up one more time after that a few years ago. I will cherish our memories always.

That same year, during my freshman year of high school, I met someone who changed my life forever: Christy. We both made lip-sync music videos. Our friendship started by exchanging messages about editing tips. I never thought it would develop into a friendship. We started video chatting, texting, and calling each other every day. We even started talking about wanting to live together, and how we would set up our bedrooms. Christy wasn't 3 hours away like Hannah. She lived in Pennsylvania, and I was in North Carolina. We didn't think our parents would ever let us meet each other since we lived so far away. We started pushing the idea onto our parents every day that year. They both seemed hesitant at first, since it didn't seem super safe. However, after our parents video chatted, and did some extensive research, Christy was set to fly to my house that Christmas. We were so excited, and started planning out all the fun things we wanted to do. When the day came to meet Christy at RDU airport, my stomach was filled with butterflies. I was about to meet my best friend IN REAL LIFE! It was super nerve racking, especially since they only allowed my mom to meet her at the gate. When I saw Christy walking up to the main lobby of the airport, it was finally real. She was there, my best friend from almost 500 miles away. We hugged it out, and at first we were super awkward. After the first 10 minutes went by however, everything was normal, and it was like we had been "in real life" best friends for years. We spent our time making videos together, we went shopping, and we made each other Build-a-Bears. It was the coolest week ever. That summer, we met up again. We went to the Jersey Shore, New York City, Ocean Isle Beach, and she even came to my sweet 16. We also spent that spring break together where we went indoor skydiving. We have meet up a few more times since then as well. Although I haven't seen her in a while, she has given me some of the most amazing memories I have, and I am so grateful for our friendship.

The summer that Christy and I went to New York City, we met up with the first YouTube friend I ever had. Ruby Karp was a few years younger than us, but I promise you, she is wise beyond her years. She has already made such a big name for herself, and I know she is going to go so far in life. Ruby was the first person I ever video chatted with. When I first saw her through my screen, she was eating pizza in her apartment. She was extremely funny and told me she wanted to be a comedian and a pop star. I believed she could do it all. I think Ruby and I met online when I was 12. We met in person when I had turned 15. Christy and I were in Forever 21 when we saw her. We screamed and all ran to each other. We even got yelled at by someone in the store. We spent the entire day in New York together. We even filmed a video in Forever 21 and Toys R Us. She took us around the city that she knew very well, since she lived there. It was something I will never forget. I can't wait to see where else life is going to take her.

One person that made a huge impact on me is still someone I have never met in person. When I met Amanda, she went by "Sugar" at the time because she wasn't allowed to use her real name online. I called her that for about 3 years, until she told me her name was Amanda. We spent hours talking together on FaceTime and over text. Although we never had the chance to meet, we still talk about meeting to this day. She and I helped each other get through so much, especially when there was a lot of negativity in the YouTube community. We really understood each other, and it was a connection that was so different than any others that I had made. We would "hack" each other's channels and leave each other cute videos saying hey and thanking each other for our friendship. Although we never met, I am so thankful for everything she has done for me. I can't wait for the day when we finally get to meet.

The last person I want to talk about is someone I always called my little sister. Megan and I never met either, but we became fast friends and still talk today. She was always so sweet to me and told me how much she looked up to me. We always said that we were long lost sisters. Her silly videos always made my day, and we still laugh over them today. I'm still waiting for the day I get to meet her too. We made some crazy collab videos together that everyone loved. She was so talented in everything that she did. I hope I have the pleasure of meeting her one day as well.

Despite the darker side of the internet, there were some truly amazing parts. These connections and friendships are so special and not like anything else I have ever experienced.