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Career

Media Personality Dai Time Has Done A Lot At 18 — & Wants To Help Others Do The Same

Dai Jame Arceneaux-Brunson is your typical Gen Z college student. She loves skin care, hot yoga, and playing The Sims, and when we speak, she’s in the middle of navigating a busy finals week. But at the same time, she’s anything but typical. The 18-year-old journalism major — best known by her stage name, Dai Time — is also a talk show host, celebrity journalist and correspondent, CEO of her own entertainment company, and a social media influencer with over 1.5 million followers. And she has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. 

Dai started out in the entertainment industry at an early age, debuting as a singer as a child with songs like “My TuTu” and “Hair Bows.” Her singing soon brought her to a career in entertainment reporting, which saw her conducting interviews on red carpets at just 9 years old. “When I first got into the industry and I started doing interviews and working as a correspondent, I remember being the only person [who was so] young on a carpet,” Dai tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview.

Dai’s own early start inspired her to help other young people break into the biz, which is why she started her own content company, DT Entertainment, and its accompanying magazine, Dai Time Magazine. “I had a lot of friends who were also the youngest people in their respective fields,” she says. “I felt like kids all over the world should be able to see other kids following their dream as children, and it was a big thing that I had started with my magazine — to share the notion that you don’t have to wait until you’re a grownup to kind of go after your dreams and tackle them.”

Dai also runs her own Snapchat series, It’s Dai Time, which was established in collaboration with the platform’s accelerator program, 523, which focuses on cultivating diverse voices in the creator space. Dai discusses everything Gen Z on her show, from celebrity gossip and pop culture to serious social issues facing today’s youth. “When I was granted the opportunity to partner with Snapchat for their 523 program, I was super duper excited,” Dai says. “It was a very spontaneous thing, me submitting that application to be considered to be a part of that program.  I think I applied the day before it closed, and just a few weeks later, I had found out that I had got into the program and it was really a dream come true.”

As an accomplished correspondent, Dai has interviewed A-list celebs including Gabrielle Union, Storm Reid, Kris Jenner, and Jada Pinkett Smith, among others. While it would certainly be nerve-wracking to stare down some of the biggest faces in Hollywood — especially at such a young age — Dai’s pretty much used to it by this point. Her biggest tool for maintaining her confidence: doing her research. “Although it can be super tedious sometimes, I love to educate myself on who I’m going to be talking to and what I’m going to be talking to them about,” she says.

Dai’s advice for those who also want to advance in the workforce early on is simple: “If you have a dream, then you should just go for it honestly,” she says. “Whether that’s creating a plan for the new year or trying to get an internship in a specific position — whatever steps you think will help you get closer to achieving your dreams, you should just work toward that, and slowly but surely you will accomplish your dreams.” She also emphasizes the need of maintaining a good balance and prioritizing self-care.“You have to take care of yourself too and make sure that you’re OK before you go out and try to pursue your dreams.”

Siobhan Robinson is a member of the Her Campus national writing program. She works on the Entertainment and Culture team, covering the most recent pop culture events, trends, and entertainment releases. Previously, she worked as an Entertainment and Culture intern during the Spring 2023 semester, where she was supervised in writing breaking news verticals, live coverage of events such as the Grammys and Met Gala, and interviewing emerging Gen Z talent for Her Campus's "Next Questions" segment. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in Spring 2024 with a B.A. in Communication Studies from San Jose State University and received communication honors for completing a graduate-level course during her undergraduate studies. While in college, she was an active member of the SJSU chapter of Her Campus, serving on the executive board as Editor-In-Chief. In this role, she supervised a team of writers, senior editors, and copy editors, and assessed their articles for the site. Previously, she served as a senior editor, supervising a team of 4-5 writers, and also worked as a campus correspondent for the entire chapter. Additionally, she contributed to the school's publication magazine, Access, and became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In her free time, Siobhan enjoys scrapbooking, hanging out with friends, going to concerts, and, of course, writing for fun! A die-hard fangirl, she loves sharing everything she knows about her favorite boy bands, even if you don't ask. If you need her, you'll likely find her binge-watching the latest K-drama.