Redefining Home

Going with the Stream

Written by Sylvie August

Whether you’re a “Candy Crush” extraordinaire or “Call Of Duty” champion, video games are everywhere. If you could play video games for your job and talk to the world about whatever you wanted, would you do it? Every day, tons of people do. Being a streamer for Twitch, a live-streaming service primarily used for video games and e-sports, isn’t all just the glamour of snacks, laughs and talking about your favorite games.

Kyle, known as iLumpE on his Twitch, started streaming because of encouragement from his friends who loved his sense of humor while gaming. Kyle has been a full-time streamer since January, often for long hours at a time. “Most people whenever they get tired of the game they get off of it, but I’m at work,” Kyle says.

The longest he streamed at once was for seven days straight for a sub-a-thon, where each dollar donated, added one minute to his stream. He slept and ate on stream, but mostly he helped people laugh.

In June and July, he streamed for over 200 hours each month. “It does feel like a real community, it really does,” Kyle says. “I go on, and it’s like I’m hanging out with my friends. I really get to know these people.”

Changes may be coming to the streaming community. With the recent inflation impacting so many Americans, Kyle noted that the next recession will be the first with people creating online content as a full-time job.

“In 2008, YouTube had just started, TikTok didn’t exist, and this is the first recession that content creators are going to have to be dealing with,” Kyle says. “A lot of my peers have seen their subscriber counts decrease substantially.”Both Kyle and Maddy hope to see their streams grow. In the future, Maddy wants to continue to produce more gaming content, but she also wants to get more into influencing and traveling.

“A lot of people have this idea that streaming is so awesome because you just sitdown and play a game — and it is,” Kyle says. “But there’s a difference between just playing a game and trying to entertain, because there’s a crowd of people watching you.”

Maddy, known as JustMaddyx on her Twitch, YouTube and socials, from Adelaide, Australia, has been gaming for as long as she can remember. She tried to dabble in making YouTube videos during her school years. After graduation, a friend suggested that she try streaming and content creation — two activities that always interested her. Now, she is a full-time streamer and content creator with Twitch, YouTube and Facebook.

“My daily routine involves recording videos, streaming for four hours, editing for maybe another three hours, then I might have a meeting with my management,” Maddy says.

“If you want to be very successful at what you do, you need to do a lot of research and a lot of marketing because you’re a one-man team.”

Both Kyle and Maddy cited networking as a great way for a smaller streamer to build their audience, and they both said that posting on other social media platforms allows streamers to build their other channels.“TikTok is a massive platform for growth,” Kyle says. With over a billion users, impressions are bound to be made. Networking and getting to know other streamers is a great way to get into streaming yourself. Streamers have created a community that does not care about borders — people who are oceans away from each other can talk and play video games together every day. Maddy feels very connected to the topic of mental health, with goals to talk more about the issue on her streams. “[Streaming] has definitely been a help with my mental health,” Maddy says. “Finally finding a place where I fit in has really helped me.”

Both Maddy and Kyle noted that they feel very connected to other people through the streaming community.

“I just always want to be on the go, and always be on the move, and do things that make me happy,” she says. “I want to see my content have a positive effect on people.”

Dismantling the Dream

Written by Simone Skinner

The American Dream is a concept that represents the desire and fulfillment a person needs to live. In terms of our generation now, the American Dream has the opportunity to be conceptualized in a way where it adapts to Generation Z and our society.

What is the American Dream?

This idea is represented in the book-turned-film adaptation of “The Great Gatsby,” written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. One of the many themes throughout the movie is the concept of the American Dream, which is heavily implied by the titular character, Jay Gatsby. In it, he proposes the idea that a person can have success in anything if they work hard enough. All Americans have a notion of the American Dream subconsciously ingrained in their DNA.

This is shown through evidence in a recent poll. According to YouGovAmerica, studies show that 43 percent of U.S. adult citizens believe the American Dream exists, while 35 percent do not and the other 23 percent are unsure of whether it does exist.

According to Smithonian Magazine, the American Dream is a concept that surrounds the way a person can achieve success. This success can be won through wealth, family and professional accomplishments. The concept was originally pioneered in 1931 by James Truslow Adams in his book, “The Epic of America.” He describes idealized America as the land where life should be better, richer and fuller for everybody according to their ability of achievement.

In laymen’s terms, the concept encapsulates the idea of a life full of everything you have ever wanted.

A Dream Throughout the Ages

Although the definition of the American Dream is universal, the way it has adapted over time to different generations is substantial. According to Investopedia, the American Dream in the Baby Boomer generation existed in purchasing a home, getting married and having children.

Each generation is shaped by societal norms of the time. So, in the 21st century, what does the American Dream look like for Gen Z and how has that been affected by its predecessors?

The Dream of the Future

Gen Z is considered to be made up of the most radical, opinionated and diverse group of individuals throughout history. These characteristics have manifested themselves into a boom of social justice and equality throughout the years. This has been prevalent through the advocacy of human rights, gender equality and environmental awareness.

Due to the digital age of social media and technology, platforms have allowed Gen Z to actively participate in helping initiate change in the world they are living in.

These values have become an integral part of dream they are seeking. On top of valuing advocacy, Gen Z is breaking the norm in terms of personal and professional life.

This isnt a coincidence. According to GirlsUnited, marriage isnt a priority for zoomers anymore. Yes, some may want to recite their nuptials to their signifcant other, but that isn’t the center of their desires in life anymore. Most people in Gen Z have this notion of other means of success.

This may be influenced by the common trends in social media and entertainment today. This has changed the idea of success in a way where most zoomers find achievement in high volumes of followers on social media, becoming an influencer or just simply a life filled with intrinsic purpose.

Victoria Fabianski, a fourth-year accounting student, describes her American Dream as achieving a mix of personal and professional goals by “[creating her] own successful business and [having] absolute freedom.”

Students like Fabianski are exemplifying the notion that the American Dream is nothing more than current societal values.

Yesterday, those values were rooted in traditionalism and conformity — all wrapped up in a white picket fence. Today, these values are rooted in individualism, instant gratification and being a voice for change.

When it comes to the future of the American Dream, Gen Z is carving their own paths and not looking to the past for what values to live by.