Meet Ryan Anderson, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from Blaine, Minnesota. He is studying marketing and enjoys playing soccer, juggling, and making videos. Recently he’s made his debut on YouTube and is sharing his life as a college student in the form of videos.
What is your YouTube channel?
My YouTube channel is titled RyanAndersonVlogs. Fittingly, I make vlogs. These are basically videos that document my experiences on and off campus. Lately, I’ve also been making advice/informative videos based on what I’ve learned in college. So far, this has consisted of videos titled “Why UW-Madison?!”, “Long Distance Relationships in College”, and “College Dorm Tour 2017 || UW-Madison.” I have a lot of other cool video ideas I plan on gradually shooting and posting that will fall under this same category. Additionally, I plan on attempting to make short films soon, featuring my girlfriend. Lastly, I will be looking into making skits with some friends this coming summer. To summarize, I made a wide range of videos!
What were your inspirations for starting?
I’ve always enjoyed watching videos on YouTube and I’ve also always enjoyed editing videos! So my motivation to start just came from me enjoying the process. The idea to start making videos regularly came when my close friend told me over winter break that he was thinking about doing this same thing (s/o Just4FunFilms). It really got me thinking ‘… Why can’t I do this?? What’s stopping me??’ And the answer was nothing! I have a phone with video, I have editing software, why not do something I enjoy and make videos!?
What is your favorite part of being on YouTube?
Besides being able to share work that I really enjoy making, my favorite part of YouTube is connecting with people. I have a handful of videos with 1k+ views and my subscriber count has been steadily growing this past month of producing content. I’m a little above 200 subscribers as I type this. A lot of my videos have people commenting that they are watching to help make their college decision, so that’s been very cool to see.
What has been the best experience in Madison that you’ve captured so far?
The most popular video I’ve shot at Madison was of my first day of classes for the spring semester. That video is close to 3k views at the moment. However, my favorite experience captured in Madison so far has been a Badgers Men’s basketball game from the student section. My other videos have shown some super cool coffee shops, some awesome buildings, and some sweet basketball montages at the NAT and SERF, but the best EXPERIENCE captured so far at Madison goes to the bball game.
How do you see YouTube playing a role in your future?
I definitely plan on continuing on YouTube! So far, it’s been really fun to create and produce videos, and I don’t see that changing. I have a lot of ideas that I’m in the process of developing, and a couple that I’ve already started shooting for. With that said, I’d definitely subscribe to RyanAndersonVlogs so you don’t miss out on what’s to come :) As of now, I plan on making YouTube videos as long as I can, so if people continue to watch, and my subscriber count continues to grow, I’ll continue to make videos!
Any tips for aspiring YouTubers?
My advice is: if you want to make videos, go do it! If you have a phone with a camera, you have enough equipment to start. All it takes is a camera and a free editing software. If you’ve got that, the possibilities are endless. Find what you want to capture or create and then go out and actually do it. In my opinion, pursuing the hobby of video-making is very low-risk/high-reward. So, with that in mind, go out, bring your camera, have fun, and make some videos!
Be sure to check out his YouTube channel RyanAndersonVlogs to see a real account of life as a Badger and more!