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A spirit that is not afraid

Vlogs shift entertainment towards more individualized content

Screenshot via Photo Booth
Screenshot via Photo Booth

With the dominance of technology in everyday life, media platforms such as YouTube occupy the free time of a lot of people. 

Regularly watched YouTube content includes cooking channels, makeup and clothing hauls, extravagant travel series, vlogging, gaming platforms and much more. What people decide to watch is usually based off of their interests, whether that’s looking up how to make a cherry pie because they enjoy baking or how to do the perfect smoky eye because they want to master the art of makeup. 

One genre growing in popularity is vlogging, the phenomenon of people watching other people.

Vlogging is the video form of blogging that is primarily based on YouTube. A typical vlog can consist of one person, a group, a family or a couple experiencing their everyday life. This can include where they eat, what they eat, what they do and who they see. 

“I am attracted to vlogs because sometimes my life can feel boring, but when I watch a vlog, I feel like I am experiencing something,” said Maggie Williams, sophomore in event management.

Vlogging can be seen as a more consistent reality T.V. show where the viewer has free online access to hundreds of videos and countless vloggers, who are the creators behind these videos. 

Tai Pruitt, senior in journalism, started her channel “Travel with Tai” to bring to light the reality of what it is like to be a broke, struggling college student who still likes to have fun.

“My vlogs are not scripted,” Pruitt said. “They are real life, recorded, edited and posted for the world to see.” 

Pruitt said she thinks people enjoy watching videos and content that are genuine and raw.

“There are a few reasons why these kinds of media representations are so prevalent today,”said Andrea Kelley, assistant professor of media studies. 

She said this is not a new phenomenon. 

“Some of the first ever moving images were precisely this; regular people doing mundane things and just living their everyday lives,” Kelley said. 

Kelley said as screens have become smaller, the content has trended toward more individualized interactions. 

“We now watch more short-form videos and media that feels scaled or directly catered to our personal viewing interests and habits,” Kelley said. 

These short-form videos are essentially the vlogs that captivate many viewers, Kelley said.  

“People thrive to be able to connect and relate to others in certain circumstances,” Pruitt said. “They don’t want to feel alone.” 

Pruitt said she wants to be able to provide brief, comic relief to people who need it in their day after stressing over finals, family issues or whatever they may be going through. 

“Not a distraction but just a happy getaway,” Pruitt said. “Just for a moment, to let you know that you’re OK, and you got this.”

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