With an extensive online following, Chu got her start on YouTube in the summer of 2020. Since then, she has built a formidable presence across multiple social media platforms, creating content spanning topics ranging from lifestyle, to fashion, to food.

“Learning how to make videos was a way for me to pour my creative energy into something so I didn’t have to think about the fact I was starting college online and that my post grad summer plans were ruined,” said Chu.

With no prior experience on YouTube, Chu began to draw inspiration from the YouTubers she admired the most.

“Not gonna lie, in the beginning people called me out,” said Chu. “They would be like ‘you’re copying this person, you’re copying this person.’ I was copying them though.”

As her channel gained traction and turned into a genuine occupation, Chu found her content transitioning from a creative outlet for herself to entertainment for others. Now, 5 years later, she navigates her world and her work with new perspectives.

“Obviously there are certain metrics to what people wanna see: People like to see aesthetic things, people like to see pretty people, and trends kinda come and go, but sticking to just one or the other isn’t exactly sustainable,” said Chu. “You have to balance between content that is for yourself but also content that can bring in the money.”

However, creative reservoirs are not endless. Falling into a stagnant rut is only natural, a reality that Chu is all too familiar with. To combat this, Chu makes a conscious effort to immerse herself in other artistic endeavors apart from content creation.

“With creating you’re pouring out your energy in some ways, but you also need to pour into yourself too; that pouring in is from seeing new things, trying new things, and you need to pour into that creative bucket before you put out, ” said Chu. “As a creative it’s really important to set aside a time to do new things, like take yourself out on solo dates where you’re not expecting yourself to be capturing this or nurturing the inner artist.”

Through these experiences, Chu not only discovers new ways to drive her work — she also finds out new things about herself.

“I identified with being an introvert all throughout college that I was really surprised to kinda think maybe I’m not as much of an introvert as I thought,” said Chu. Traveling and just being in new places, you’re going to learn aspects about yourself that you didn’t know about. I am a journaler, so I like to journal and reflect a lot, and one thing that I have realized is that I might be an extrovert.”

As she’s learned how to balance her creativity and work and personal life, Chu has also learned how to set boundaries between the two.

“As a lifestyle creator that line gets blurred very easily, between what’s considered personal and what’s considered private,” said Chu. “Choosing to not share about certain aspects of my life completely has also kept me grounded because then I can spend time with my partner or spend time with my family. Making the boundaries in my head ahead of time and committing to them has allowed myself to be more present in those moments and when I am contemplating or filming things I’m more present in that way.”

Though content creation comes with much self regulation, Chu also finds herself grateful for what has come out of her journey. She credits her career in this field as the driving force for internship opportunities, increased confidence, and embracing public vulnerability.

“I think you just have to constantly overcome that obstacle that no one’s gonna care about your content or your work; you need to do it for yourself,” said Chu. “Especially when you’re starting out, it can be really easy to be discouraged about lack of engagement, but just the act of putting yourself out there exercises so many different parts of your brain and it can be useful in ways you would never have expected.”

Chu’s career was borne out of that single step forward, the courage to put a creative work out for public scrutiny despite fears or negative thoughts, and she encourages anyone who also wants to do so to take the leap.

“There’s always going to be someone that resonates with your content,” said Chu. “If you don’t post your content or your art, that person is never going to find it. I honestly think art is made to be shared.”

Reach column writer Preethika Makineni at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @pr3eth1

Reach photographer Miranda Scott at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @miranda_l_s