College Times - January 2021 by Times Media Group

11 HOBBIES BREAKING BARRIERS TRY THESE ACTIVITIES DURING NATIONAL STUDENT HOBBY MONTH REDEFINES MASCULINITY

JANUARY 2021

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TIKTOK STARS What makes these local media influencers tick

student life

contents student life 4

TikTok Stars

What makes these local media inﬂuencers tick

11 Hobbies

January is National Hobby Month!

success & money 7

Breaking Barriers

ASU student Austin Davis redeﬁnes masculinity in poetry

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What is the only country named after a woman?

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A. Georgia B. Dominica C. Jordan D. Saint Lucia E. Tunisia Answer: D. Saint Lucia. The French named the country after St. Lucy of Syracuse.

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STUDENT LIFE

TIKTOK STARS WHAT MAKES THESE LOCAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS TICK JORDAN HOUSTON • COLLEGE TIMES

n the outside, Jaala James appears to be an average teenager. The Tempe resident—marked by an infectious smile and radiant brown eyes—balances online classes, a part-time job and a blossoming social life, as well as quality time with her family. James is gearing up for her freshman year at Howard University, a private, federally chartered historically Black university in Washington, D.C., where she will play Division 1 lacrosse and pursue a career in law. Like many of her peers, the teen enjoys passing time on TikTok, a video-sharing platform. Most days, she even uploads videos of herself. But unlike her peers, James’ clips are viewed by more than a million people worldwide. “I still don’t think it has really set in, like how many followers I have. It honestly doesn’t really phase me. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” she says with a laugh. “Like obviously, I’m super grateful for it and I love it and I love the people who support me. “But at the same time, I don’t ever really feel obligated to post. It’s always just what I want to do, and

it’s fun for me.” James, boasting 1.4 million TikTok followers, is a product of the app’s unprecedented celebritymanufacturing machine, which operates faster and more powerfully than other platforms like Instagram or YouTube. TikTok is taking the entertainment industry by storm through its ability to catapult everyday users—mainly 15- to 20-year-olds—into international stardom overnight. Because its algorithm serves trending content to a wide audience, even the smallest of accounts has a chance at going viral. One of the most popular TikTok “stars” is 15-year-old Charli D’Amelio. The trained dancer amassed more than 50 million followers and blank likes in less than a year. The short-form video app is not only sparking a new generation of influencers and memes, but it is also captivating brands, tech leaders and aspiring microcelebrities across the globe—and it’s only just the beginning. “It’s a new career and people are just getting used to it,” James says. “But you look at David Dobrick, Liza Koshy, people who started on Vine—which was like the oldschool TikTok—and they’re making multimillions now.”

Jaala James

SO, WHAT MAKES TIKTOK TICK? TikTok users can record themselves lip synching, dancing, acting or memeing to pre-recorded audio clips or songs. There’s also the option to upload personal sounds. The app offers a host of editing features to choose from, including filters and effects. The 60-second-or-less video platform acts as a social network by circulating content on its “For You Page,” featuring a mixed bag of trending clips and local videos with little engagement. Lip syncing, comedic skits and viral challenges currently dominate the feed. Although dubbed a staple among tweens and teens, with 60% of its monthly users aged 16 to 24 according to influencer marketing agency MediaKix, TikTok is still worth getting to know. Since its launch in 2016—and after ByteDance bought Musical. ly and merged the two—the app has garnered more than 1.5 billion downloads in over 150 countries. It even outstripped Instagram’s downloads in 2019 by roughly 238 million.

FAME OVERNIGHT

Kailey Amora 4 ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | JANUARY 2021

James remembers sitting in her house one evening last fall when she decided to download TikTok. A few of her friends had already joined. Moments later, she stumbled upon an audio clip she resonated with— playful banter between what could be perceived as two siblings. Being the third oldest of nine, James says she felt compelled to act out the comedic skit. She quickly propped up her phone against a laundry basket and pressed record. “I came across this sound, and

it was like two siblings having a ‘moment,’” James recounts. “I literally just set my phone up and I didn’t even get ready. “I looked super busted,” she jokes. “I recorded this little sound and then went to bed. It was super late at night, too, and I just posted it.” That next morning, James awoke to the shock of a lifetime. Her spur-of-the-moment video reached 300,000 likes overnight. “It just kept climbing and climbing,” James discloses. “I hit like a million followers within the first three months of me being on the app—just from that video alone.” She adds, “I really think I was just kind of a fluke. I was like, ‘What the heck am I even doing here? I’m literally just screwing around.’” Around that same time, a certain kind of TikToker began to emerge. Users were seeing more dance challenges and lip syncing on their “For You” pages. Enter Phoenix resident Kareem Jassam. Sharing a similar discovery story, the teenaged Iraq native has 1.5 million TikTok followers and is best known for his lip synching videos. The former professional soccer player recalls his first bout with fame when he posted a side-by-side comparison of himself and several Disney princes. His numbers skyrocketed from there. “I was like, ‘Why am I blowing up out of nowhere?’ But it felt good,” Jassam gleams. “I felt famous for like 5 seconds, and I was like, ‘Nobody talk to me.’” Because of TikTok’s fickle nature and ever-changing algorithm, fame and clout are always fluctuating. This unpredictability can be frustrating at times, explains TikToker Kailey Amora of Gilbert,

student life

A FUTURE CAREER PATH? James, Jassam and Amora are only just beginning to reap the benefits of their newfound fame. According to research by the Morning Consult, more than half of 13- to 38-year-olds in the United States aspire to become social media influencers. Marketeers reckon that the most popular TikTokers, which have upward of 30 million followers, can

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collaborating with brands on the side. “I would like to stay in the entertainment industry,” she says. “It’s something that I really enjoy. I actually like making content. I like entertaining people, and I like making people laugh.” In a cool and nonchalant manner, James echoes Amora’s sentiments. For now, she says she is setting her sights on raising tuition money through brand promotions. “I think that (being an influencer) would be the perfect career choice for me—and I’m working on it,” James says. “But, if I’m supposed to go to Howard, go to law school and become a lawyer, that’s super cool, too. “I just feel like there are so many opportunities in the world, I don’t want to close all my doors,” she adds. The athlete also hinted at the idea of securing a Valley “creator house” in the near future. These houses are commonplace among the TikTok world, most notably the Hype House in Los Angeles, where well-known creators join forces to collaborate and build

Kareem Jassam upon their brands. “(We’re) wanting to make a TikTok creator house this summer so that a bunch of creators can work together and make a bunch of content,” says James. “Even do meet-and-greets for our followers in Arizona, which would be super cool.” CT

For more, follow James on TikTok at @uhitsjaala, Jassam at @justbeingkareem and Amora at @kaileyamora.

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especially for creators looking to find their footing. “I think I speak for a lot of other TikTokers in that what sucks about TikTok is their algorithm, and they change it like every week,” laments the 19-year-old, who bears more than 800,000 followers. “Before, if you actually had good content you would do really well,” Amora adds. “Now, it’s about your looks. You can put out content, but if you’re good-looking you’ll do well anyways.” A University of Arizona student, Amora was discovered through lip synching to an audio clip of YouTube celebrity Shane Dawson. Despite the app’s mysterious operations, the verified TikToker is still thriving. “I try to make different content just to see what people like to see from me,” Amora says. “I make dance ones, comedy ones—those are the ones that do best for me.”

charge close to $200,000 per post through brand deals. Some might even up the ante to nearly $1 million by next year, researchers at the UK games company Online Casinos argue. Jassam is taking time off from Paradise Valley Community College to explore the realm of brand deals and a possible full-time career in the industry. “It feels great, honestly—going out and people asking for pictures,” says the social media star. “It’s just a good feeling when you come from nothing to something.” He recently launched a YouTube channel with his roommate, Dawson Barrett, where the two film themselves completing varying online challenges. The joint account already has more than 10,000 subscribers. Amora is also open to opportunities within the industry but is taking a slightly different approach. The UA student says she doesn’t want to put all of her eggs in one basket. “Being an influencer is such a new career. It’s unpredictable,” Amora explains. “I don’t think I could ever feel secure enough to rely on it, but it’s obviously still another priority for me and something that I really want to keep rolling with.” The Gilbert resident is working to switch her major, while

ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | JANUARY 2021 5

student life

11 HOBBIES TO TRY ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

anuary is National Hobby Month. During the 2020 quarantine, most of us started at least one new hobby, whether it was baking bread or binge watching Netflix shows. To kick off the new year with a fresh start, here are 11 hobbies to try out—if you haven’t already.

11 WRITING Most college students write quite a lot for school and don’t always write much outside of that. Writing is a great way to express yourself, and it can be shared with others—or not, if you prefer to have private journal. By putting your thoughts on paper or computer, it can ease stress.

10 BUDGET MAKING

was posting videos on TikTok or YouTube about being in quarantine. You don’t need to be the next TikTok star, but putting a video together of your everyday life can be entertaining and a way of keeping busy. Choose a topic to talk about, bring in some guest speakers (health restrictions permitting) and just have a laugh.

7 COMMUNITY SERVICE/ VOLUNTEER If you have the free time, volunteering always looks good on a resume—especially when it’s done long term. Giving back helps the community thrive. It can be as simple as donating your old clothes to a homeless shelter rather than a

the number of jobs for which you can apply. Spend 15 minutes a day with the app Duolingo to learn a variety of languages, from French to Hawaiian. YouTube is also a great resource when trying to learn a certain form of sign language.

3 COOKING

9 PHOTOGRAPHY

8 VLOGGING/PODCAST One of the biggest crazes last year

4 TRAVELING In normal times, college would be the ideal time to travel. You have minimal responsibilities and a whole world waiting to be explored. Take advantage of study abroad programs. International travel expands the mind and allows for a plethora of new experiences. Sometimes even traveling to new locations within your own state can be thrilling.

As college students—especially those who have recently graduated or on the verge of it—the concept of being out of college and fully on your own is looming overhead. Student loan payments are on top of regular bills, like rent, car and phone, and can be daunting at times. Regularly creating a budget will ease stress. Stick to the strict budget.

Photos are important. Taking an appropriate resume/LinkedIn photo can boost your chances of getting a job interview. Those who can take their own photos will be the go-to person at events or gatherings. If you choose to go the extra mile and learn how to edit photos as well, you could use it as a side hustle and get paid for doing something you enjoy.

you are committed and can handle tough situations. We’ve all been couch potatoes all year, so it may be hard to get started. Once you start shaving your running or hiking time, it’ll be worth it.

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6 LEARN NEW LANGUAGE Several degrees require students to learn a second language. Learning another language can help expand

5 ENDURANCE SPORTS Running, cycling and hiking. These sports—and keeping the blood flowing and heart pumping— will help us live healthier lives. Endurance-based activities show

The number of people making bread last year was a lot, to say the least. But what else can you make? There is a wealth of options, from lasagna to fried chicken and even vegan mac and cheese. Get creative and try something new. Ask friends and family for new recipes, and see if you can mix them up to better suit your tastebuds.

2 GARDENING Anyone can learn to garden if they really want to. Having fresh produce is one of the wholesome joys of life. You don’t need to be the person who grows all of their food in their backyard, but a nice cactus or low-maintenance plant doesn’t hurt anything. In fact, having an indoor plant purifies the air.

1 MEDITATION Let’s be honest, 2020 was stressful. One of the easiest ways to help with stress is meditation. No, you don’t need to sit there and chant. There’s nothing wrong if you do that, but it’s not for everyone. Sometimes just stepping away from your desk and going to a calm place and listening to a song that makes you happy is a good form of meditation as well. Meditation is all about taking the time to process what is causing your stress or discomfort in a calm and productive manner. CT 6 ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | JANUARY 2021

SUCCESS

BREAKING BARRIERS ASU STUDENT AUSTIN DAVIS REDEFINES MASCULINITY IN POETRY ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

SU junior Austin Davis has been an avid reader and writer his entire life, and that led to him publishing his two poetry books “The World Isn’t the Size of Our Neighborhood Anymore” and “Celestial Night Light.” “I’ve been writing pretty much my whole life,” Davis says. “I used to write short stories and write them out on construction paper and staple them together and pass them out to my family when I was really young.” Around middle school, a creative writing teacher introduced Davis to contemporary poets. They, in turn, inspired his writing style. He hasn’t gone back since. Davis is majoring in creative writing with a concentration in poetry at ASU. “Writing poetry, it just comes the most naturally to me,” Davis says. “I like writing short stories as well, but there’s just something

about writing a poem that feels natural to me—it’s like breathing or talking. Not to say it’s easy for me, because it’s definitely hard, but it just feels natural. It feels like this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” “The World Isn’t the Size of Our Neighborhood Anymore” was released by Weasel Press in March, while “Celestial Night Light” was published digitally through Ghost City Press in July. “(My first book) is kind of an ode to growing up in a time of great turbulence,” Davis says. “It’s about all the good times, the bad times and all the times you had to grow up too fast.” Topics for his poems include love, heartbreak, loss as well as masculinity and the issue of gun violence. “I think that was my first real entry point in trying to write a cohesive book,” Davis says. “I really wanted each (poem) going in to lead into the next, and I wanted it to feel coherent and full.” “Celestial Night Light” is five poems free to download digitally, but tips go directly to Black Lives Matter.

PHOTO COURTESY BOBBY KAHSIN

An ASU creative writing major, Austin Davis enjoys dressing androgynously, painting his nails and wearing makeup.

“I wrote many of the poems in that book during quarantine, and a lot of it’s about my experience with love and loss,” Davis says. “I wrote it also in a time when I was struggling with my own OCD and anxiety.” Davis also writes about masculinity and the toxic traits that social emanates. Davis recently wrote a new poem called “Blowing on My Nails” that he hopes will be in a future poetry book releasing sometime next year. “It’s a poem of me reflecting on my formative experiences in school and growing up and just about what I was told masculinity should be and what it’s not,” Davis says. “Just seeing all these toxic traits and growing from that, trying to be a good man, I guess.” Davis paints his nails and dresses androgynously. Occasionally, he wears women’s clothing. “Sometimes I wear makeup,” Davis says. “I really enjoyed exploring that this year. I try to say to other people to just do what makes you happy.” Davis hopes his poems open the door to having a positive conversation about masculinity. “I just think it’s super important to talk to boys about respect and consent and to tell boys that it’s OK to have feelings,” Davis says. “It’s OK to be vulnerable, and it doesn’t make you weak and it doesn’t make you less of

a man. I would actually argue that vulnerability is the highest form of masculinity. It’s the most open that you can be, and it’s the bravest.” Prior to the onset of COVID-19 and during the release of his first book, Davis taught poetry classes to teens and younger kids. He spoke about mental health and how poetry can help. “I think too often we think that we can’t be completely vulnerable or open—especially guys,” Davis says. “I think it’s really important to have these conversations, and even if I can do that in a small way, I feel grateful and blessed for that.” Davis admits that getting into the right mindset to write poetry is something “you have to train your brain into doing.” “I think for a while I wasn’t very patient with my writing. I tried to rush through a piece when I had an idea and try and put it exactly on the pages as it was in my head or try and force myself to write at a certain time every day. I found—at least for myself—that it’s important to just let myself write when I feel like I need to. I try not to force anything.” Davis is working on co-authoring a spoken-word album that he hopes to have released within the next few months on platforms including Apple Music and Spotify. CT

PHOTO COURTESY BOBBY KAHSIN

Austin Davis published two books: “The World Isn’t the Size of Our Neighborhood Anymore” and “Celestial Night Light.” ECOLLEGETIMES.COM | JANUARY 2021 7

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