YouTube is Consuming My Life

YouTube+is+Consuming+My+Life

Every day at a certain time, a new video is posted. I watch everything from the SacconeJolys vlogs to Shane Dawson creating a black pizza. How many hours of YouTube I consume a day, is a very good question.

You know when YouTube is taking over your life when you start buying their products just to support them. I know that I’ve spent hundreds of dollars of buying anything from books to calendars. I’ve gone to conventions and have paid extra just to meet YouTubers.

In the back of my mind, I know what time or days some of them post a new video. SacconeJolys post everyday 1 P.M.; Threadbanger posts usually on Fridays; Shane Dawson posts every day.

There are times where I will forget when they post and receive the notification on my phone (which does remind me several times throughout the day) that someone I subscribed to, just posted a new video.

Some videos have me grossed out, while others have made me cry and laugh at the stupidest thing that they are doing.

My mom is always telling me that I’m making them rich. And at times, I tell her to be quiet depending on who I’m watching.

Being so engaged into watching people “taking the easy route out,” as some people say it. It’s actually not.

There’s a lot that is compromised. There’s also a lot that goes into making these 10-15 minute videos. Some YouTubers like adding in drone shots or time lapses – all of which takes extra time to film.

To those that create weekly videos, there’s brainstorming and much planning behind them. Vloggers show their viewers just a portion of their day and most of the time, commenters like to say negative things about the YouTuber. I feel like we, the viewers, are lucky that they have the courage to put themselves in front of the camera. These vloggers have the attitude of, “this is what I did today and I’m bring you, the viewers, along for the journey!”

 

After watching the same people for many years, I have been in a routine of watching the same YouTubers over and over again. It starts to become difficult to watch them get bashed by people that do not like them, because these vloggers are real people.

As a viewer, you have the option to comment and say that what the previous person wrote was not nice, and they’re bullying. Yes, it may cheer them up for a few minutes, but we do not know how it affects them.

I have made friends with other people who watch the same YouTubers as I do. We all talk about what we have seen, if we like or dislike a certain video, and if it made us laugh, cry, or get angry.

There are times where I have hit the unsubscribe button because I just do not like the content of what the YouTuber is providing. I do get bored a few times watching a YouTuber and then question why I am still watching him or her. It is sad that they are losing a viewer but I see it as minutes I could be using to focus on something else. There have also been times where the video has been way to gross for me to even watch.

A great example is from Threadbanger, when Rob was dissecting a cow’s eyeball, a fog, and many other things that I could not watch.

Many YouTubers like to stay in a trend. Once one YouTuber starts it, everyone else follows. Threadbanger started a trend where they turn all their eatables black. Then Shane Dawson followed along, with many others. There is also a trend called cringe challenge where the YouTubers try not to cringe while watching a video.

My absolutely favorite trend is where YouTubers create a video of what their monthly favorites are and give a brief description of the product.

I especially love watching ‘how to’ videos. One of my favorite how to channels is MyCupcakeAddiction. Elise makes cakes, chocolate, cupcakes, and many more on her channel. I always get the craving for chocolate after watching her channel.

There are YouTubers like iiSuperwomanii or Lilly Singh who will make you laugh when you are having a bad day. One of her segments on the channel is called, “My Parents React.” It will for sure put you in a good mood afterwards. It does for me.

Whether or not consuming hours upon hours on someone’s channel is good or not, I will continue spending time on YouTube, watching the videos that I have missed or have not seen yet.

Being on YouTube allows me to zone out for a while then come back to reality. Either I am watching a daily vlog or a YouTubers weekly video, I know that there is a video on YouTube that will alway peek my interest.