Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Western on Instagram is full of posts of school spirit, friendships and everyday life in Monmouth. It’s also where to find first-year Melinda Ortega, who goes by Mel on social media.

On @makeupbyymel_ and @hennasbymel, Ortega showcases her makeup and henna skills in short tutorial clips and photos. Ortega also has a YouTube channel where she vlogs. In a time where social media is so saturated with people making content, I was curious to hear about the process from a Western student.

Talking with Ortega, I learned that she is from a small town in California.

“Most people don’t know where it is,” she explained with a laugh, saying she usually had to explain its relativity to Los Angeles. She got to Western through her sport, soccer, and is deciding between being an education or a communications major.

Her content, however, is something she’s more sure about.

“I’m less comfortable talking at a camera,” she explained in relation to the style and presentation of her content. This is largely why her makeup tutorials are shorter and posted on Instagram rather than YouTube.

For Ortega, her activity on social media began just for fun during her senior year of high school. She drew inspiration from famous YouTubers like James Charles and PatrickStarr. However, as she developed her filming and editing skills, she said she began to think, “maybe this can go somewhere.”

For now, her following is small.

“(The comments) are mostly my friends and family encouraging me right now,” she told me. However, she’s preparing for the opportunity to grow her brand and her presence on social media. So far, one success she’s had is that some lash brands have asked her to promote them. She’s also slowly developing her filming and editing skills.

“At first it took me three hours to edit a one minute video,” she revealed.

However, if she does gain more of a following, she knows the internet trolls will inevitably come as well. That doesn’t mean she intends to slow down, though: “I’m curious and nervous to see what the mean comments say.”

To any others who are considering starting their own channel, Ortega advised, “Just do it! They always say to just do you, so that’s what I try to do and what my advice is.”

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Melinda Ortega