YouTube has definitely become a whole new frontier in the entertainment industry, and in many cases, it’s become a full-time job for people participating in it. Is your channel more of a hobby or a job for you?

It started off as a hobby, but now that it’s gotten popular and I’ve gotten more opportunities because of it, it has opened a lot of doors. It definitely has turned into a job for me. I’m not saying that jobs are a bad thing! It’s changed my life in a lot of ways. I was going to go to college before I started YouTube. Now, I’m taking a year off to see where this is going to take me and to explore acting. It’s super cool.

Other than your first-ever upload, have you ever been super nervous about posting a video? Have any of them made you feel more vulnerable than the others?

The last video I posted was definitely one of those where I was like, Oh my gosh, what am I doing? It was a video on body positivity and self-love:

So many people have so many opinions on that topic, so it was hard to think of something great to say so people in the comments weren’t like, “Oh, but what about this this and this?” I just ranted. I went on and on and tried to cover every single topic without getting any questions. I hope that nobody thinks I’m problematic.

As a writer, I’m always thinking about trying to not exclude anybody. What are ways that you work on that?

It’s definitely scary. Especially on the internet: People will call you out no matter what. To exclude something or offend someone is huge. I want to make sure to include everybody. When I first started [making videos], I never really considered that. I would just give my opinion on whatever was on my mind at the moment. Then I got tons of comments saying, “Oh, you didn’t mention this.” Now, I’ve been more self-aware on how to mention everything and be more clear and evident on what I’m trying to get my point across on.

With internet fame, a lot of people, like yourself, get sprung into suddenly acting as role models for kids their age and younger. How have you handled that newfound attention?

Oh my gosh, it’s unbelievable that people look up to me! I take that seriously, because when I was younger, I never really had a role model whose word I took on everything. I use it to my full advantage, because I know that I have a big platform. A lot of my demographic [is composed of] young girls around my age, and I’ve definitely been in their position as a teenager. I have some experience and can answer their questions. I can be like a big sister in some of these girls’ lives! I want to be there for people instead of just sitting there making mediocre videos.

While were you in high school, were people at your school watching your videos? Did they think the entire thing was cool, or did they not totally understand what you were doing?

I wish it had been cool to them. That would have literally been a dream. People in high school knew about my social media presence because they followed me on Twitter. People were very rude to me about it. If I walked up to a group of people that I knew, they would make weird comments like, “Guys, Orion’s here,” or whatever. It was so extra. I had a supportive group of friends who loved what I did, but the people I wasn’t as close to were super sarcastic about it.

How did you deal with that negative feedback?

I honestly ignored it. I never tried to engage with it. I didn’t talk to them and continued doing my thing. Of course, that set up a whole new stereotype of, “Oh, she thinks she’s better than us because she has this YouTube thing.”

I also went on the internet to feel happy. A lot of my close friends are online friends. They’re YouTube people or fans. They’re not much different from real-life friends, except for the fact that I can’t see them all the time. They feel just as important in my life.

I feel like that stigma of making friends online is starting to disintegrate.

Oh, it’s totally becoming more normal. Like, only two years ago it was weird. Now it’s a social norm. You’re going to meet people on the internet if you spend a significant time online.

If you could say anything to the Orion who was just starting a YouTube channel, what would you tell her?

I would tell myself to definitely be more aware of the things I say online! Not that I’ve said anything bad, but on the internet, you can say anything and people will have something negative to say about it. I’d also tell her to not worry about being a big YouTuber. I used to worry about getting a lot of subscribers, but none of that matters. What matters is the content you’re putting out. It’s quality over quantity, and if I had told myself that, I would have had a lot more fun. That’s not to say I didn’t have a lot of fun, but now I care more about the quality of what I put out rather than stats.

What’s some advice you would give to someone who is looking to find an online platform?

Make work that you’re proud of. If you don’t like it, what’s the point of putting it out? It’s good to do things for other people, but you’re the one who’s putting it out there, so make something that you enjoy wholeheartedly. Make stuff that’s original! Be yourself! Everybody is different, and people will probably be attracted to what you’re doing if it’s your own. ♦