Jennifer Jin (‘21) was bored. Stuck at home in 2020, when school had just transferred online in the COVID pandemic, she needed a respite from the outside world. So she whipped out her leopard-print phone, took a few mirror selfies, and, just for fun, uploaded them to her Instagram page. Over the following days, she posted several more. “Go for it,” she told herself. It became a nice pastime, a hobby she didn’t mention to anyone. 

That has all changed. 

All of a sudden, the likes came pouring in. Her followers count skyrocketed–first past the 2000 mark, then 10,000, then 20,000. Now, she has over 44,600. 

“I’m still shocked at this moment,” Jin laughed, shaking her head. “I never expected it to get that huge. [The followers were] coming one bit at a time, where I was realizing ‘wow, it’s actually starting to become a big deal,’ and that’s when I realized yeah, I could really spend more time on it.”

Her excitement and incredulity grew when brands started reaching out for sponsorships. Jin still remembers well the secret thrill of reading the first company’s invitation. 

“I was thinking ‘how is this even possible, how is this even happening?’ Jin said. “I was reading and re-reading the email [from the brand] to double-check to make sure I have the right information and it wasn’t a scam or anything.” 

At first, she had a smaller pool of brands to decide from. Now, with numerous companies clamouring for a partnership, Jin can choose to work with fashion brands that most align with her interests and values. She most enjoyed collaborating with American Eagle, one of her own favourite go-to shopping brands. 

It’s important for her that Instagram doesn’t become just her generator of revenue–she wants to prioritize what she likes and preserve the fun in the process. 

Jin, being “brutally honest,” believes that, deep down, she’s remained the same since graduation and her Instagram virality. She paused–cocked her head. “But there is some change,” she allowed. “I just can’t name what change it is.” 

Even as she’s cemented herself as a rising content creator on the platform, Jin doesn’t feel like a true influencer. In her eyes, she’s still a “regular person,” perusing infinite Instagram posts and following other major celebrities. 

“Getting a huge amount of followers doesn’t really set you up as different from regular people going on Instagram,” she said. “I always get stuck on Instagram and I’m unable to pull myself out as well, so I see myself more as just posting content here and there.” 

The word ‘influencer’ has come to attain a negative connotation over the social media age for its implied insincerity and frivolity, but Jin likes to think of an ‘influencer’ as a person who “creates content that helps others to achieve whatever they want.” 

“If it’s skincare, I think of an influencer who guides their audience on improving their skin. Or if it’s a fashion influencer, they teach you how to put clothes together based on [your] own fit or personality,” Jin said. “So I feel like [being an influencer] is more about helping others.” 

Jin is grateful for the endless support from her friends and family around her blossoming career on Instagram. “[Initially] I didn’t see myself as and they didn’t see me as going [down the influencer path],” she said. “[But] they were definitely excited and rooting for me.”

She told her older sister, someone she always looked up to for fashion and style, first. “I started telling my sister ‘this is kind of what I want to do,’ and she was a huge supporter from the beginning,” Jin said. 

But her new status as a fashion influencer–someone other girls now look up to for beauty advice– felt somewhat odd. Jin couldn’t grasp her changing reality, from mostly “following in her [sister’s] footsteps” to evolving her own sense of style. “There’s so many changes going on,” she said, confusion creeping into her tone. 

Since she first started on Instagram, Jin has created a total of thirty-four posts on her Instagram account. Her favourites aren’t what one would expect. 

“I really like my first beginning posts,” she said. Grinning, she ticked off all the parts she doesn’t like–the bad lightning, the awkward poses, the grainy camera quality. Then, why…?

“They’re in the process of learning, where you’re learning from your mistakes and how to improve in the future,” she explained. For her, the posts represent where it all began, and how far she’s come since then. They carry a ring of nostalgia in her heart. 

“I guess I have kind of changed,” Jin reflected.

 

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Jin takes all her own photos with a self-timer tripod. “My tripod is my best friend when it comes to creating posts on Instagram,” she joked. 

She occasionally plans out a photoshoot, which usually turns out better backgrounds and quality, but most of the time she likes to be spontaneous. If she happens to have free time, why not snap a quick photo? 

Most of her posts show her around her neighborhood or communing with nature–often the backdrop is a field of grass against a brilliant blue sky. In her photos, Jin always looks carefree and free-spirited, beaming, like the camera wasn’t there at all. Perhaps it’s this authenticity, this youthful sunniness that makes Jin so appealing on the platform. 

Or perhaps not. Even thirty-four posts later, Jin said she still hasn’t figured out the Instagram algorithm. For any aspiring influencers, she recommends maximizing one’s use of hashtags and actively reaching out to brands. That’s how she got her first sponsorship. 

“I honestly don’t remember,” she sighs about the first brand she reached out to. “It has been such a long time. But I do remember I was scared of the brand not replying back.” 

Now, her current process involves sending emails to different brands she’s interested in, where she introduces herself and explains why she writes to them. While it took her some time to get used to this sort of cold-call outreach, Jin said it’s worth it and helped her step up her confidence. 

“Don’t be afraid and reach out, and there might be a chance,” she urged. She applies this philosophy of taking the leap to her personal and academic life as well. “It might seem like a slim chance, but it’s still a chance. Just go for it!” 

Go for it. Jin repeats it to herself every now and then. It helps her believe in herself more, that she can do it. 

Jin revealed in high school she was a shy student who lacked the confidence to speak up in class. Now, there’s hardly a trace of that inherent shyness. 

Andrew Morgan, her Communication Studies professor at Diablo Valley College, called her an “outstanding student” who “participated frequently and was very hardworking.” Liz Cabiles, her Computer Information Science instructor, praised her as a “pleasure to have in class… [with a] willingness to learn and work diligently.” One of her WRAC marketing team mates, Gema Sornoza, found herself impressed both with Jin’s leadership and her “outgoing and kind personality.” 

“I guess I have kind of changed,” Jin reflected with a smile.  “I feel more confident speaking up. I know [now] if you have a question, you have to ask. Even though it might seem silly at that time, I would still say go for it.” 

After graduating from high school, Jin has come to appreciate self-care, and understands the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. To the current sophomores and juniors, with course scheduling coming up, she cautions them to not over-burden themselves: “Don’t bury yourself with too many AP classes!”

She advises all current Amador students to do what they love and makes them happy. “Go have fun! Enjoy the rest of your high school years,” she said. 

Now eighteen, Jin sometimes still needs to remind herself she’s already a “grown-up.” She sees this as a chance to explore the world and find her passion. “[Now’s] the time when you have to step up a little and really understand what it is that you want or desire,” she said.  

The future presents endless possibilities–she could head into the skincare industry (she’s still debating between skincare or fashion), she could partner with all of the huge, cute clothing brands, like Nasty Gal and Brandy Melville, who knows? 

“I honestly have no idea!” Jin exclaimed with a laugh when I asked her about her plans. “My career path is a little bit of a blur right now. Right now I want to go by a day-by-day plan to see how life goes.” 

While Jin’s schedule is packed, having to juggle her intermixing lives as a young college student and Instagram creator, she doesn’t mind. “I like keeping myself busy and everything,” she admitted with a shrug. 

She wants to go with the flow and see where life takes her. It’s part of her daily mantra–to embrace the present with YOLO energy and enjoy herself–no regrets.