A young woman sits at her computer, fingers tapping away at the keyboard. She turns the camera on and sits, thinking over what she will say. She takes a deep breath and presses record. This is only the beginning of the process that YouTubers go through. YouTube is a popular website in which people can post videos about whatever they like, and some students at West have created their own channels and post their own content, especially when it comes to beauty and fashion.

“I just really liked fashion and beauty,” senior Audrey Stowe said. “I watched other girls make videos and I finally decided to start making my own.”

Stowe runs a YouTube channel called BeauutyByAudrey. She began her channel a year and a half ago, with her target audience primarily being other teenage girls who are interested in beauty and makeup.

“My YouTube channel has helped me learn to be myself and that everyone has different interests,” Stowe said. “I found what I love and what I want to do.”

Stowe currently has 84 videos posted and 828 subscribers.

“It takes a lot off time to keep up with a YouTube channel,” Stowe said, “especially when trying to balance with school.”

Another student, senior Morgan Klein, runs her YouTube channel kwirkyklein, and understands how long the video-making process takes.

“I try to put a video up every week or every two weeks,” Klein said. “I usually spend a day filming and a day editing. My favorite video that I’ve made was my ‘Five Summer Outfit Ideas’, which took a total of seven hours to produce.”

Klein started her YouTube channel two months ago and has 27 subscribers. She posts do-it-yourself videos, as well as fashion ideas and product reviews.

“My love of film and acting really inspired me to start a YouTube channel,” Klein said. “It will help me get more exposure to casting agents.”

Students start YouTube channels for a variety of reasons.

“There was a period where I had a rough time in middle school and I didn’t have many people to talk to,” senior Sammy DeVincent said. “So I went on YouTube and I started watching videos for beauty gurus and I liked what I saw.”

DeVincent started her posting videos on her channel last year. Her username is BeauutyBySammy, with a following of 1039 subscribers for her 84 videos.

“My favorite video that I shot was the one where I went to California to a convention for famous beauty guru YouTubers and popular makeup brands,” DeVincent said.

YouTube is a vast community, but the YouTubers of West encourage others to start their own channel.

“It’s totally worth it,” DeVincent said. “YouTube is a nice community and environment to find what your interests are.”

YouTube has different videos about a variety of different subjects that can be overwhelming. However, the West YouTubers post about their own interests and tell others to do the same.

“Just be yourself,” Stowe said. “Make it about what you love.”