Our inaugural Campus Celebrity is none other than YouTube guru LaurDIY! We caught up with Lauren Riihimaki, the collegiette who has amassed some 1.23 million subscribers on her channel. At 21, Riihimaki is the face of a Toronto-based DIY and fashion YouTube channel while simultaneously completing her final semester at Ryerson University. Having debuted her channel, LaurDIY, in her first year of university, Riihimaki hopes to make YouTube her full-time career after graduating from Ryerson’s Graphic Communication Management program.
Her Campus: What prompted you to first create your own YouTube channel, LaurDIY?
Lauren Riihimaki: “In my first year of university I was feeling pretty creatively stifled by my program and needed an outlet to channel all things crafty and DIY-themed, so I originally started a WordPress website, followed by a YouTube channel. It’s funny because I really only started the channel so I could embed the videos onto my blog, and I had no idea that there was an entire community consisting of thousands of YouTubers posting similar content.”
HC: What do you find to be the main inspiration behind your videos?
LR: “Inspiration comes from everything. There’s a pretty straightforward seasonal calendar that’s easy to follow and pull inspiration from – Back to School, Halloween, Christmas, etc. My subscribers are a great source of inspiration, which can be based on either a direct video request or positive feedback on other videos. I’ve also always been really thrifty so if I see something I know I can make for substantially cheaper, I will.”
HC: You’re currently in your last semester of Ryerson’s Graphic Communication Management program. Do you think this program has assisted you in improving your channel?
LR: “To be completely honest, the majority of this program focuses on the exact opposite of what I’ve been doing in the online realm. The management and business courses have been useful, but other than that my boredom is to thank for starting this whole endeavor.”
HC: You stated in your university advice video that you hate the program and wish you had given other universities more thought. What do you think could be improved in Ryerson’s program, and what made you choose it?
LR: “I don’t want to focus too much on what I didn’t enjoy just because choosing a university program is so unique and different per person, but for me there was a lack of creativity. I know GCM is working to develop the program to consist of some more graphic design classes, which I think will be a great addition. I’ve found that a lot of my classmates are also extremely creative and are excited about the future of GCM.”
HC: What’s the end goal you’re hoping to achieve after graduation? Is YouTube something you want to continue doing full time? If not, where do you see yourself working in the near future?
LR: “I’ll definitely be continuing YouTube full time as soon as I graduate. In the past two and a half years my life has changed in more ways than I can even explain, so I have absolutely no idea what the future holds for me and my channel. I’m excited to be working full time on this and to grow my brand potentially offline in the way of other types of products.”
HC: With 1,231,539 subscribers on your channel, how often do you get recognized on campus by your viewers?
LR: “Probably about once or twice a day. My biggest demographic is typically high school students, so it’s really cool to be able to meet viewers who are similar in age. It’s also just really awesome in general to be able to talk about YouTube and bond with someone whom I never would have met without YouTube.
HC: From your experiences, what are the pros and cons of being a campus celebrity?
LR: “Oh man, I definitely don’t consider myself a campus celebrity. I really haven’t found a con, except for maybe that I’ve been late to a few classes before because I’ve met a viewer and wanted to stick around to chat. But in all honesty, there really aren’t any cons. I get to meet some really cool people, and when I meet someone new, I already know we have something in common – a love for YouTube.”
HC: How difficult was it for you to cope with both university and YouTube at such a young age?
LR: “I’ve definitely had my share of mental breakdowns in the past couple years. School has slowly been put on the back burner while I focus my attention on growing my channel, so I’ve really had to find a balance between getting acceptable grades and being able to put the necessary TLC and effort into my channel for growth. I never want to say no to an opportunity I’ve earned through YouTube, but I also need to pass, so it’s definitely been a learning curve that I’ve gotten much better at. Time management and scheduling is everything.”
HC: Whom do you look up to as your role model?
LR: “There isn’t one specific YouTuber I have in mind, but more of just the beauty/lifestyle community as a whole that’s been really inspiring for me. Seeing success in so many different forms in our community has been amazing and really lets everyone know what’s possible.”
HC: What advice would you like to give other students at Ryerson who wish to follow in your footsteps?
LR: “Be yourself on camera. That’s the No. 1 rule that I really struggled with for the first year or so. It’s not that I was trying to be someone else, but more I was scared to really open up on camera and just have fun. So make content that you’re passionate about, and deliver it with your true personality. That was super cheesy, but people gon’ hate no matter who you’re trying to be, so you might as well be yourself.”
Have a Campus Celebrity you’d like to see?tweet us @HCRyerson or send us an email at ryerson@hercampus.com!