hi everyone, and welcome to chat #4! for this chat, i reached out to my friend kendall, who runs @pleasesmi1e on instagram. i’ve been following her since i first started my account about 6 years ago, and we’ve become good friends through the entire journey! she’s the sweetest, and this chat is a little insight into her page and views.
tell me a little bit about yourself (where you’re from, age, etc).
hi, i’m kendall! i’m 20 and i’m from california. i go to university on the east coast, where i’m double majoring in marketing and psychology. i’m super involved with various cultural, professional, and philanthropic organizations both on and off my campus. personally, i’m passionate about learning everything about everything, and growing myself to be the best i can be! beyond myself, i’m passionate about mental health equity, educational equity, gender equality, and diversity and inclusion on all levels.
what does social media mean to you?
by definition, social media is a tool to post content with the public. on a deeper level, i see social media as a way to create and share information and ideas, to stay connected with loved ones, to build communities, to spread important messages. it’s something i use every day: as a lesson, as a tool, as a bridge.
do you see social media as more positive or negative?
i see social media as more positive!
why do you think this is?
social media provides each person with a voice, to share the messages they want to share and advocate for what they believe in. on top of that, it connects people from all over the world. i've built some incredible relationships with people worldwide and it was all through the help of social media. i've moved around a lot growing up, and being able to keep in touch with loved ones and see what they are up to after all these years is very meaningful to me. the reason that resonates most with me is that it can motivate and inspire people. as life has its ups and downs, seeing one video or quote can make all the difference in your day.
what’s the goal of your social media?
my goal with my page (@pleasesmi1e) is that i can, like the page name says, make you smile! whether it be with an inspirational quote, a cute animal picture, a motivational sign, etc.. further, going beyond the quotes that tell you to be happy, giving followers ways on how to work towards that! providing you tips on ways to take care of yourself, or some insight on the benefits of doing something. overall, my goal with social media is to spread positivity, and help people make real differences in their lives by sharing what i’ve learned!
what do you do that brings you joy?
on my own, learning new things brings me joy! whether it be something related to my studies that can help me in a future career, how to make a certain food, fun facts...new knowledge makes me so happy! besides that, i like to dance! nailing a choreography and just grooving with no end goal except just to have fun is also very freeing.
my love languages are quality time and acts of service! being able to express these to my loved ones is something i try to do on a daily basis. making food together, watching shows together (especially thrillers and suspense!), even just sitting and existing together - these simple things actually mean the world to me.