Beneath the surface

If you could only use 1 word to describe the purpose/message of your channel, what would it be?

"Authenticity. "

There's only a handful of genuine people on social media these days where everything now is curated to satisfy target audience. Regardless of that, we are given the power to choose the type of media we consume and whom we follow. I feel very fortunate to be able to surround myself with people whose light radiates across oceans. Let me introduce you to one of them.

I like to think of Makayla as the big sister I never had. I often go to her channel and watch her tell stories about college, funny party and tinder experiences, waxing down there, and anything there is to ramble about. Most of her videos are very laid back and there's no pressure at all, almost feels like catching up with a friend everytime. She shares her experiences unsparingly and is very articulate when it comes to expressing her thoughts about love, feminism, life and struggles. There's no wonder she's a published writer- her every words is like that first sip of your favorite drink in the morning.

Im very honoured to start this series called The Unruly Gang with her as my first feature. Not only did I enjoy reading her responses, I also learnt a lot. She’s confident, free, daring and honest in the way she puts herself out there, everything an unruly girl is and should be.

You may follow her on her social media here:

[youtube] [instagram] [twitter] [tumblr]

Hey Makayla! Would you like to introduce yourself?

Hi! As you said, I'm Makayla, and I'm currently a junior at the University of Minnesota studying English and Creative Writing.

Tell us a bit about how and why you started youtube! Is it something you want to pursue as a career?

I started YouTube for a multitude of reasons. I've been a viewer for years, and I found that during my loneliest and hardest first semester away at school, there was comfort in finding out other YouTubers had a hard time at college, too. Watching people share their personal stories and struggles really inspired me to share my own, (many of which I am still holding onto for the right moment!) and I was also discouraged when the content I craved most wasn't being created, so I thought, hey, why not just make it yourself? But the short answer is, I started YouTube because I was super lonely and sad my first year at college, and YouTube helped me have people to talk to that understood what I was going through, and I had a great outlet during a difficult time. It is definitely something I hope to incorporate into my career!

Youre very passionate about what you do. Is there a deeper reason as to why you do it?

I do it because I love it. I've been a writer my entire life, and a large limitation I felt with my work was the inability to share it with a larger amount of people who could perhaps relate or at least feel something, anything, from what I had to say. Transitioning to YouTube has led to the ability to reach an infinite audience, and the unknown outcome of that fact is mind-blowing because you simply have no idea where a video, thought, or piece of writing that you shared online will lead to! I create content and share it online to leave a mark, hopefully one of impact, that will affect someone, somewhere, and hopefully increase my world-view and perspective. I have this almost morbid fear of being forgotten after I'm gone, whether that be in a year or a hundred years, and my hope is that with every tangible creation I put out into this world, a piece of permanence remains long after my time, and someone will see it, or read or watch, and know that at one point in time, I was here.

It is evident in your videos how confident and comfotable you are in your body. You express your body & sexuality in a way that’s not sexual. What’s your take on the normalization of the body especially of the women’s?

Thank you! I'm really happy that's the message received because it is completely correct! I have a hard time with our society's double standard on women and our bodies. I believe the human anatomy is nothing to be ashamed of or hidden from view - it's natural and it's very beautiful!! A lot of young females have a hard time loving their appearances and physical-selves because of what society exploits as "attractive" or "inappropriate" which is so upsetting because we need to be teaching young girls, especially, to love the bodies they were given. I read a quote on Tumblr whenI was struggling with an eating disorder that said, "Your body is the house you grew up in. How dare you try to burn it to the ground," and it really changed things for me. This is the only body you will ever get - take care of it.

What would you say to the people who find it difficult to be comfortable in their own skin?

There are so many directions I want to take this question but I'll leave it at this: Senior year of high school, I was at a party and complained how I disliked my small boobs. A friend grabbed me by the shoulders, looked me in the eyes and said, "but it's OK because someone will love you." I had never been in love at that point in my life, and it served as a reminder that someone is going to love you for who you are, and it's important that you do the same. If you are uncomfortable in your own skin, spend more time with it until you become comfortable. Dance in your underwear -- to a song that you really, really love. Buy pretty lingerie that makes you feel like a princess, and surround yourself with positive people that lift you up versus tear you down. People are most comfortable in their skin when with those that they love or when doing what they love to do, so find your passions, find your people, and embrace who you are.

You have a whole video dedicated to slut shaming and you are very outspoken, how do you think would empowering women impact the world as a whole?

Thank you! Empowering women would (and are) impacting the world in many ways! The older I become, the more I realize how far women have come in such a short period of time. As a child, you view women's suffrage as eons ago, but it really wasn't that long ago! Neither was the right to legally purchase birth control, which was only in 1972. We've come a long way in a short amount of time, but we're still not there yet. It's crazy knowing that women during our time have the ability and power to make history - that itself is empowering! It still blows my mind that men earn more money than women do at the same jobs, and that's something I would really love to see shift to better equality.

What/who inspires you?

I actually have a list of those that inspire me! It ranges from celebrities like Taylor Swift, who played guitar until her fingers bled as a child and walked into a studio at age 13 with a demo CD that got rejected, to personal mentors in my life, like my therapist and high school English teacher, to even those a lot younger than me, most recently Grace Vanderwaal, who at such a young age showed how magical life can be when you believe miracles can happen.

Is vulnerability a positive or a negative thing? Do you ever hesitate sharing your stories about college, heartbreak, and other experiences online and through your writing?

Vulnerability is 100% a positive thing! My favorite English teacher actually taught me that. Vulnerability is important. It allows energy, love, and emotion to flow through you, and for me, it's when I am most creative. I also find vulnerability very attractive in others. As for your other question, the only time I hesitate is when I am sharing a story that involves another person. I'm worried that they would either know I was talking about them and be upset, or someone would wrongly assume I was talking about them when I wasn't. (Specifically, I didn't want the wrong guys to watch my heartbreak videos and believe they broke my heart or hurt me if it wasn't about them). But besides other people in my stories, I never hesitate to share my experiences. They are an important part of my past, and I want to preserve the memories (even if they are hard ones) for myself and anybody else that is listening.

What’s your favorite thing about being a woman in this age?

I love that I can be a writer and not have to write under a male pseudonym in order to be successful.

Do you have anything you would like to say? And most importantly, what's your favourite ice cream flavor?

Thank you so much for interviewing me! I am greatly looking forward to this new series :) And definitely Ben & Jerry's Half Baked ice cream or a classic coffee bean flavor with added chocolate chips!