When senior Sadie Bramlett made a parody of the infamous Rebecca Black song, “Friday,” she never thought her video would reach nearly 5.5 million views.

While Bramlett may have been one of Naperville’s first popularized YouTubers, she is not the only Huskie who is a part of the YouTube community.

Haley Meyer, a senior at North, is a lifestyle YouTuber. Her channel encompasses topics from makeup tutorials to outfit ideas and everything in between. Though she considers herself an introvert, her quirky personality online convinces her viewers otherwise.

“[YouTube] is a good way for introverts to socialize,” Meyer said.

Meyer encourages those who are afraid of creating YouTube content to push through that fear because it’s helped her gain a lot of confidence. She believes it can do the same for others.

Senior Kelly Leonard, another YouTuber like Meyer, has gained more than just confidence through YouTube.

“[YouTube] is amazing because I have met new friends and have found something I consider myself good at,” Leonard said.

However, Leonard also mentioned the time commitment that is required to create quality content.

“It is hard because I don’t have as much time as I would like to work on videos,” she said.

Senior Ben Van Poucke agrees with Leonard’s view on time commitment to YouTube. Nevertheless, he believes the time commitment is a small price to pay compared to the income he receives from his videos.

“On the plus side, [YouTube] provides me with a cash flow that’s better than nothing,” Van Poucke said.

Though the money the majority of YouTubers make is not substantial, it’s enough for the typical high school student to pay for gas money and going out with friends.

While some students upload videos for money, others do it for the sole purpose to look back on their younger lives when they’re older. Senior Abby Stevenson is one of those students.

“I made a YouTube account because I wanted a unique way of remembering my last few years of high school,” Stevenson said. Her channel consists of videos with her family and friends, along with things she does in her day to day life.

For those who want a way to document the progression of their life, YouTube is a creative alternative to a journal or diary. YouTube may not be for all students, but it’s an amazing opportunity for those who like being creative and sharing their thoughts online.