In the past decade, social media platforms such as TikTok have grown in popularity, shortening our attention spans along the way. These platforms focus on short-form content lasting from 15 seconds to three minutes. As a result, many TikTok users have found themselves struggling with “TikTok Brain,” a phenomenon in which young people find it difficult to be satisfied without rapidly changing content; this can also be regarded as “doom scrolling,” where people can’t stop watching TikTok or Instagram reels that ultimately don’t provide any real enjoyment, and consequently waste time.
On Jan. 17, the U.S. federal government shut down TikTok following a Supreme Court ruling. Though heartbreaking to most, some users recognized the possible benefits of reducing their access to short-form content, such as curing TikTok Brain, stopping doom scrolling, and ultimately gaining more time to do what they actually want with their life.
Although TikTok has now returned following the ban, thousands of American users deleted the app during the initial 12-hour shutdown and are now unable to re-download it. Furthermore, users from around the country are preparing for the possibility of a second ban. Time to welcome YouTube, which will save the day in content creation!
YouTube is an American social media platform that focuses mainly on the creation of long-form content. Videos range from a couple of minutes to multiple hours, on average lasting about 15 minutes. I am an avid YouTube user and have been for the past decade. For those of you interested in curing your “TikTok Brain,” YouTube offers a variety of engaging content, including comedy, vlogs, reviews, and video essays. No matter what content you are craving, YouTube has a channel for you.
Below are some of my favorite YouTube channel recommendations that will (hopefully!) catch your attention and put you on the long-form content train.
COMEDY
Since the beginning of my YouTube viewing experience, comedy videos have been one of my tried and true genres.
Sinjin Drowning
Sinjin Drowning is a brother-sister comedy duo that I have been watching since 2019, about six months after they started their channel. They have a wide range of content consisting mainly of gaming and vlogs. They are well known for their videos, where they simply mess around on platforms such as Roblox and MovieStarPlanet. My favorite content of theirs is their Coffee Cams, in which Weston and Kalynn (the siblings) chat to the camera while getting coffee. Their channel may appear very hectic and strange, but I recommend taking a chance on these two siblings. Their connection is unbeatable, and each of their videos leaves me laughing.
Smosh
If you’ve been on the internet since 2005, you’ve likely heard of Smosh. Smosh started as a sketch comedy-improv channel founded by best friends Anthony and Ian. Since their formation, Smosh has grown into one of the most popular channels in YouTube history. Currently, Smosh has four main channels with a variety of content to catch your attention.
Smosh, the original channel, continues to produce mainly skit-based videos. Smosh Pit is their second channel, which consists of game shows and challenges between the cast members and crew. This is arguably their most popular platform and their Reading Reddit Stories, where Shayne and his fellow Smosh castmates react to unhinged Reddit stories, are extremely popular. Smosh Games, their third channel, covers every and any type of game including card games, board games, and video games. Their last channel, SmoshCast is comprised of two podcasts, Smosh Mouth and Lunchtime with Smosh.
Due to its long history, Smosh might have certain stereotypes, especially for those who only remember the channel for their lip-syncing videos. Smosh has evolved, as we all have, and much of its current content perfectly blends commentary and comedy.
REVIEWS
One of the more unique genres on YouTube is their long-form review-based videos. In these, YouTubers review various forms of media including music, movies, and TV. These videos tend to be longer, which I personally love, and the in-depth commentary is extremely engaging.
Chats and Reacts
Chats and Reacts is another best-friend YouTube duo and their passion for music is infectious. These two Australian swifties represent the ultimate fan girl, and their reactions are so entertaining. Bonny and Emily react to mainly pop artists, ranging from Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams to Billie Eilish and beyond. Their channel is particularly interesting to me because they also upload Song Breakdowns in which they break down the lyrics of songs they already know and explore the topic and interpretations of the song.
HTHAZE
HTHAZE (or Troy) is a musician and producer himself, and his reactions reflect that. He has a wider range of content so if pop music isn’t your favorite, Troy might be the one for you. His reactions are both emotional and hilarious, and his editing is top-tier. I can always count on Troy to react to the newest hits, no matter the genre; his musical background adds another layer to his commentary.
Mike’s Mic
Mike’s Mic is an Australian commentary YouTuber whose videos consist of movie and television reviews and longer video-essay-style commentaries that can last over two hours. To put it plainly, Mike is hilarious. His videos never fail to make me laugh as we share a lot of the same Gen-Z humor and chronically online references. Mike has likely made a video on at least one movie or TV show you have watched. Some of my favorites include his Glee commentary series, Gossip Girl commentary series, and his review of The Devil Wears Prada. His quality is next level, even taking the extra step to make gossip magazine covers for each episode of Gossip Girl to go along with his commentary. You definitely need to give Mike a watch!
Dylan is in trouble
Dylan Is In Trouble is an American YouTuber who focuses more on first-time reactions rather than in-depth reviews or commentaries, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. Dylan reacts to new movie/TV releases as well as childhood classics. Revisiting my old favorites through Dylan’s videos fulfills my nightly need for nostalgia. Dylan also has a series titled “First and Last” in which he reacts to the first and last episodes of popular television series and predicts the outcomes; they are especially entertaining when you’ve watched the entire show yourself.
Video Essays
By definition, a video essay is a video format where a content creator presents an analysis or argument on a specific topic. These videos tend to be longer and allow viewers to consume media in an educational manner that is extremely fulfilling, especially when compared to short-form content like TikToks.
UNcarley
As written in her YouTube channel description, uncarley is “just a girl with lots of opinions.” From that description alone, I knew her content was for me. Carley is a Canadian comedian and student who makes video essays about an array of content, including book reviews and deep dives into celebrity drama and dystopian fandoms. Her videos are equally insightful and entertaining. Her content leaves me feeling informed and comedically satisfied, as I believe most social media content should leave us all feeling.
EVa MELOCHE
Eva Meloche is a college student at McGill University who blends video essays and vlogs into an aesthetically and academically pleasing mix. Each one of her videos leaves me feeling inspired to take on my life head first. No matter what she’s doing–traveling around the world or discussing her upcoming assignments–Eva’s videos are created with elegance and care. Her editing is stunning and turns her YouTube videos into small movies. Furthermore, her ability to balance her studies and social life is heartening, especially to a college student (me) who wants to make the most out of every aspect of life.
No matter your social media preferences, YouTube is an amazing platform that I recommend to everyone. With over 50 million channels, I guarantee that you will find something of enjoyment, and hopefully at least one of these channels seemed interesting. I truly couldn’t recommend them enough!