The Youtube Space was nothing like I'd pictured it. When I think about social media content creators, some even called "influencers," I think of giant crowds of fans and an inaccessibility to the person on my screen.

Instead, the room was small and intimate, with a low-set stage, dim-lighting, and an in-house DJ playing music for a more relaxing, hang-out feel.

In all honesty, I had only found out about this event a few days prior, when my Tyler-Oakley-obsessed friend expressed interest in going, but needed someone to come along. What began as a night to see one of her favorite youtubers turned into an experience I didn't expect and a lesson I most certainly won't forget: what it means to be a creator.

The presentation started with our host, Max Emerson, introducing the night as an array of talks from LGBTQIA+ artists and creators, many of whom use social media as their main instrument to talk about current event issues and topics important to them. While the speakers were centered in that community, the audience was a mix of people spanning across various ages, races, identities, and sexualities.

Music began the show, as they brought out three acts, Daphne Willis, Zolita, and Sam Tsui. Each had amazing talent, but the artist who struck me the most was Daphne Willis.

Willis sang her original song, "Somebody's Someone," which was inspired by her own struggles with addiction and mental illness. I've seen many performers, but when you see someone with a close, personal connection to their music, it becomes an astonishing thing to watch; it isn't something that can be faked or done artificially.

Next, of course, were drag queens, Peppermint and Miss Sherry Vine. What's any show without them?

In all seriousness, drag culture has always amazed me. While it's consumed as a form of entertainment for many, it's also a form of self-expression, one that was criticized for much of American history. Drag queens were apart of many protests, including the Stone Wall Riots, and now, as America has become more socially accepting, they are often celebrated and shown positively in media.

Lastly, Tyler Oakley and Ingrid Nilsen, the spotlighted youtubers of the night, had a bit of a "fireside chat," about creating. Though the two are seemingly unrelated, Tyler Oakley being a jack-of-all-trades, from politics to challenge videos, while Ingrid Nilsen's channel is more lifestyle and beauty, both are very involved in activism!

They stressed the importance of producing material that means something to you, which isn't necessarily what gets the most views or likes. As I look at the youtube platform today, it often feels disingenuous, with clickbait titles and "easy" content.

I didn't have to be a youtuber to relate their main point - people can tell when you are passionate about the things you do. By listening to them talk about creating, they became much more personable and relatable. Sometimes, it's easier for me to make a list article among all the stress of school, but, in the end, it isn't the content I'm most proud of.

They've motivated me to start using my voice for things I find imaginative, important, or inventive, even when it's hard. It's okay to take a break, to do something a bit easier, but work to make sure that the easiest things aren't my main ideas. Quality things take time, so let's take those few extra hours to make something worthwhile.