Why I Started YouTube | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

Why I Started YouTube

Note to self: DON'T BE "NORMAL."

112
Why I Started YouTube
Roxy Saravia

YouTube is much more to me than just a website where I go to watch videos. Ever since I was around the age of 12 I used to watch YouTubers make music videos to pop songs and sometimes I even made my own. I remember not wanting anyone to find out about my videos because they were quite embarrassing. I got a MacBook in 6th grade and taught myself how to edit on iMovie. I started making videos using the camera on my laptop and then I begged my mom to buy me a Canon Rebel T3 and a $15 tripod from eBay. I remember feeling so "official" when they arrived and spending almost every single weekend in my backyard for hours making music videos.


Being an only child was a really big struggle for me when I was younger. I constantly got bored, begged my friends to make music videos with me (even though they didn't want to) and I just never had someone to talk to. I began talking to my camera like it was my friend (wow that makes me sound so crazy but I promise it's not... at least I think so) I would tell my camera where I got my outfit from, how my day was and for once, I didn't feel so alone anymore. I made a few YouTube friends who I still keep in contact with on Instagram! It's crazy to think back on those moments because although we never met, I feel like we saw each other grow up. We would email each other certain clips and then mash them together to create a music video. This is what we called "collabing". I loved the feeling of sharing my passion for making videos with someone else who enjoyed it just as much I did.

I remember gaining my first 100 subscribers and flipping out. I was beaming with joy. My mom used to watch my videos and I loved the way they made her smile. She has always been supportive of whatever I choose to do with my life and I love her for that.

Soon enough a few people in middle school found out about my YouTube and I remember people watching my videos in front of me and laughing at my face. I put up a front at school and made it seem like it didn't bother me but deep down it really did. I decided to stop making videos once I entered high school because I did not want to go through that humiliation ever again. Biggest mistake of my life.

I can't lie and say that I never thought about starting my YouTube channel again in high school because I definitely did. I definitely had moments wondering what would happen if I started to make videos again. Would people bully me? Would people not care? I rather just put it aside and just be "normal." Note to self: DON'T BE "NORMAL."

I really wish I could go back. I wish I did not listen to those people who made me feel horrible in middle school. Who knows where my channel would be but that's beside the point. The point is that I let people take control of my life. I was too concerned about what everyone else thought. Soon enough, I started to feel lonely again and I felt like a piece of me was missing.

December of 2016, I decided to start my YouTube again. I constantly told myself I would buy myself a camera and I finally did. Best decision ever.

I started documenting my college experience and giving advice to incoming students. I also found a big passion for fashion through my videos! I started making more and more videos and until this day, making videos is something I look forward to doing every single day. I gained over 1.5K subscribers in one year and it lets me know that I'm doing something right. I want to be that older sibling for someone out there who doesn't have someone to talk to at home, who feels lonely and who just needs a friend like I did in middle school. As a friend, I'm here to tell you to never stop doing something you love because you're too scared of what other people think. Be you. Do you. For you.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

185157
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

11442
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

455405
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25064
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments