Chapman University is filled with students working in film. Kristee Vetter, however, is changing the game. Kristee, also known as strawberryelectric48, is a famous YouTube personality. Her account features everything from beauty videos to lifestyle tips. You can spot Kristee’s fans on the lookout at Disneyland, the circle, and even on campus. Just how has Kristee managed to reach and inspire so many people around the world? Keep reading to find out!
BB: Explain your YouTube channel.
KV: My YouTube channel started out as a beauty channel focused on fashion and makeup, but over the years it has changed and grown with me. Today it is a little bit of everything with a focus on lifestyle and college! I do DIY decor ideas, organization, college advice and more. I also have a second channel for personal vlogs and a look into my everyday life. Overtime it became more serious as I was able to make money from the advertisements on my videos and collaborate with some of my favorite brands, so now it is basically the best job in the world.
BB: How did you get started?
KV: I got started by searching for reviews on a particular makeup product I was interested in buying back in April 2010. I was surprised to find a video review by a girl on Youtube, and even MORE surprised to find there was a whole community of people making beauty videos on Youtube! I became addicted to watching these videos, and finally after about a month of watching videos I decided to try making my own, and I fell in love with it.
BB: How do you balace your blog with Chapman?
KV: Balancing a Youtube channel and being a full time Chapman student is definitely a challenge that I still struggle with from time to time! My education comes first, of course, so I put studying before editing videos, even though making videos is so much more fun. It’s all about prioritizing, but I am still committed to my Youtube channel as well. I have a schedule of uploading every Monday, so I set aside time every week to make a video and treat it as a part time job, because it is.
BB: Where do you find motivation?
KV: For me, it can be easy to lose motivation for Youtube when I am so caught up in classes, my sorority, and the exciting bustle of college, but I find the most motivation from talking to other Youtubers and watching their videos. It is so inspiring to hear ideas from someone who has the same passion for Youtube as you. I love just sitting down and watching creative and interesting videos from people I admire, and after seeing an amazing video or having an in-depth conversation about ideas with other Youtubers, I feel more motivated than ever!
BB: What is the biggest challenge of being a YouTuber?
KV: I would say that the biggest challenge that comes with being a Youtuber is learning to deal with the criticism that comes with it. Making videos means putting yourself out there for anyone to watch, and that means anyone can criticize. Anonymous hate is so easy on social media, so I have probably read every possible negative comment in the book in my almost 5 years on Youtube. On the upside, it really helped me grow as a person and develop a thick skin and sense of confidence I might not have otherwise. At the same time, positive and uplifting comments vastly outnumber the negative ones and make it worthwhile overall.
BB: What is the best part of being a YouTuber?
KV: The best part of making Youtube videos for me is having a platform to share my voice and connect with so many incredible and different people around the world that I would not have been able to otherwise. It’s amazing to be able to meet subscribers in person sometimes and have them tell me that watching my videos helped them through a tough time, or getting snapchats from people saying “Hi from Sweden!”. Like I can’t even fathom that anyone in Sweden knows I exist; it’s such a cool feeling.
Kristee is truly an inspiring woman! Check out Kristee’s channel and see what all the hype is about!