Social Media Star in the Making

“I feel like I’m actually doing something to impact others and even possibly the world someday.”

Social+Media+Star+in+the+Making

Evelyn Baxton, Journalism I

After spending endless hours in her room filming and editing, Crystal Xiong is building both a resume of visual pieces, and a growing group of supporters.

Just this past February, she started her own YouTube channel after being inspired by other content creators. Xiong’s channel is a direct representation of her personality; focusing specifically on her love of fashion, design, and her day to day life. “With my content, I try to make visuals come to life, and I try to make whatever my heart desires,” she said of her videos.

Even though she devotes a lot to school, she believes it is also important to take a break for yourself every once in a while. She accomplishes this by taking time to create her videos. One of her favorite parts about having a channel is reaching others. “I feel like I’m actually doing something to impact others and even possibly the world someday,” Xiong said.

Since starting her YouTube channel, Xiong has begun to find herself. In the beginning, she experimented with it just to try something new. Now, she’s learned of her hidden passions for editing and videography, and is even considering pursuing them as a career.

Xiong loves being able to post whatever she wants and looking back on her growth as an individual, as well as seeing the confidence YouTube has given her. From a business point of view, she’s looking to gain more subscribers to grow her channel. Referencing her personal goal though, Xiong said, “I want to be an influence to others.”

So who influences her? She mostly looks to other teens on social media to inspire her style. People like Conan Gray, Marla Catherine, and Eris the Planet are some of her biggest icons for both her personal style and her channel style. Social media, whether it be Instagram or YouTube, sparks her creativity and constantly helps her grow and expand in an ever changing world.