It’s very strange to think about a time where I used to consume enormous amounts of television and film, because if someone were to ask me what my favorite shows or movies are now, I would immediately shut down because I don’t think I’ve processed a film or show in so long.
It’s not that I don’t want to consume these types of media – trust me, I do. There are so many shows and movies that sound interesting just by the synopsis, but I simply can never bring myself to watch them. Or even worse, I start to watch them, I get really into it and then suddenly, I lose interest. This happened with Queen’s Gambit, Never Have I Ever, American Horror Story, Dead to Me, honestly, the list could go on. I simply cannot sit through shows anymore.
However, watching YouTube videos has never failed me. While I do occasionally go through periods of time where I have absolutely no clue what to watch, it’s not hard to find my way back into something that can be fun to watch. I went through my “youtuber stan” era back in 2013-2015, and I don’t watch YouTube channels the way I used to back then. By that I mean, keep up with every single update and every single bit of their lives, the way 14-year-old me used to. However, I have my small group of creators that bring me joy. Here are some!
Amanda Elimian (amandabb)
Amanda runs a beauty/entertainment channel, where she talks about a subject of her choice, whether it’s recent news or simply something on her mind, while she is doing her makeup. (She doesn’t do her makeup in every single video, but that’s not the point.) The topics vary from talking about The Sims, television shows, celebrities/influencers (usually it’s about all the dumb things they have done), and music! While I’m not someone who is very well versed in makeup, I really enjoy listening to her talk about things that are of interest to her or even things that are bothersome. One of my favorite videos is actually one of her more recent ones, “let’s talk about society’s hatred of teenage girls…”, which brings to attention how teenage girls are often berated for enjoying things that are marketed towards them and taught to essentially feel shame for being into these things, which also creates the whole “I’m not like other girls” thing.
While I know the length of her videos might make it seem like something difficult to watch, coming from me, someone who has a difficult time sitting through things, you really do not feel the length of the video when you are engaged in the topic. Maybe it’s because the things Amanda talks about are subjects that I find myself thinking about and I want to hear someone else’s input in them, but also, she’s simply a fun person to listen to! Her videos on ranking songs from albums are also very excellent!
You can check out her channel right here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUCygxhG2VsJXz7i1GkmLVQ/videos
Follow Amanda on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandaoee_
Nina Yu (oh no nina)
Nina makes a variety of videos and they all have this very calming and comforting energy. From makeup and beauty, to lifestyle-esque videos, Nina has made videos about college life, and currently life after college. Something that you will find in a lot of the YouTube channels I watch is that they all have very similar energies. I’m either learning something new or I’m simply watching someone go through their days. Watching Nina rearrange her room or branch out of her usual style of clothing into something new is enjoyable to watch and makes me want to try it myself!
Check out Nina’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ohnonina/videos
Cheyenne Barton
I think I discovered Cheyenne while I was looking for bullet journal inspiration videos. However, out of those videos came so many more vlogs, and art type videos that were just so comforting and fun. I get a lot of inspiration from watching other people discover their own creativity and it’s been so fun watching Cheyenne grow as an artist, especially because she’s always so open to trying new types of art. I find myself watching a lot of her videos while I’m doing work, especially these days when I spend them alone, listening to Cheyenne talk about her work but also things that make her happy in general (even if they are things that I’m not into) is so nice and I feel a little less lonely.
Check out Cheyenne’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/cheyennebarton/videos
Cheyenne’s art shop! https://cheyennebarton.com/
Khadija Mbowe
I found Khadija most recently because her video about the Netflix show Bridgerton popped up on my recommended feed, and I love her! Khadija’s energy is so fun and I find myself learning a lot from her. One video in particular that I watched and found really interesting was her video about doom scrolling, which is something that has been on my mind for a while. Khadija makes video essays, commentary, vlogs, and she sings, as well!
Check out Khadija’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/KhadijaMbowe/videos
Khadjia’s Website: https://www.khadijambowe.com/
Trin Lovell
Trin makes film commentary style videos, which… I know, Delia, why are you watching someone react to films, when you can barely watch an entire film yourself?
I’m not perfect, ok? Also, in my defense, watching someone else watch a movie and most of the time make fun of said movie, brings me a different kind of joy. I think something I really like about Trin’s videos is that she doesn’t try to make herself out to be a film snob, she simply genuinely likes talking about films and television shows, and can also criticize them. As someone who’s on a “film track” (I use that term extremely loosely), I find myself feeling like a bit of a fraud because I’m not detailing every single thing in a film, in fact most of the time, I’m simply critiquing it or straight up making fun of movies. I know I’ve used the word “comfort” a lot, but I genuinely feel it when I watch someone doing things that I also enjoy doing.
Also yes. I am on a “film track” and I don’t watch movies. We exist. I’m not proud of myself.
Check out Trin’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQrcxNMs5DgA7nqFjPuxsw/videos
tbhstudying (Seo)
Last, but certainly not least, is tbhstudying, aka Seo! I find it difficult looking for studying channels that genuinely are doing the work of becoming better learners as well as helping others, and not purely doing things for the sake of an aesthetic. Seo is someone who motivates me a lot to get through school, because even though we have completely different majors, the struggle of getting through college is one we understand very well and it’s nice to not do it alone. Seo makes bullet journal setup videos, tips for studying, preparing for exams and vlog style videos as well. She also occasionally hosts livestreams as a “study with me” time, which can be helpful, especially if you are someone who was used to going to public places for the sake of being around people, but cannot do so right now because of the pandemic. I’ve mentioned Seo in one of my previous articles “Issues with the “Studyblr” Community”, where I referenced one of her own videos as well!
Check out Seo’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/tbhstudying/videos
Some additional channels that I also enjoy and would highly recommend you check out as well!
Linh Truong (college lifestyle-esque)
Casey Aonso (commentary)
bby gang (see also Elliot Sang) (commentary, but more specifically on music)
The Artisan Geek (art, anime, literature)
Arden Rose (beauty, fashion, lifestyle)
Fran Meneses (art, specifically illustration)
Yoora Jung (college lifestyle-esque)
As Told By Kenya (beauty/commentary)
Amanda Rach Lee (art, bullet journaling)