An Interview With Eastern's Very Own Influencer
By Lily Scheckner
By Lily Scheckner
I recently wrote an article about TikTok, a relatively new yet increasingly popular social media platform, and how it has affected Gen Z during the pandemic. But despite doing a lot of research on the topic and looking over the profiles of my friends, I don’t have any firsthand knowledge about the app itself. That is why I decided to reach out to Eastern Middle School’s Darya Toolsie, who currently has almost 160 thousand followers and 4 million likes on TikTok. Additionally, she has 13 thousand followers on Instagram. I interviewed Darya through text (very meta) and found out exactly what it’s like to be a social media celebrity.
NOTE: Some messages have been edited for grammar and clarity.
Question: Hi Darya! Can you introduce yourself? What’s your username, how many followers do you have, and what do you do on TikTok?
Answer: My name is Darya Toolsie but I usually go by Dasha. My username is @ohhitsdarya and I have 159.3K followers. For the most part, I just express myself through content, whether it be with friends or outfits or funny ideas. It’s all about having fun.
Question: Awesome! So, having fun is great. But with your amount of followers and influence, could this extend into financial benefits or even a career?
Answer: Yeah, of course. Right now I’m taking a lot of sponsorships that I promote on TikTok and Instagram. By using some of my promo codes you could save 20-40% on stuff that I sponsor. Clothing and shoe brands, phone cases, etc. However, I only like to promote things I think my followers would benefit from.
Question: That seems like a good rule. Do you think there are negative aspects to being popular on TikTok? Do you receive inappropriate comments/DMs or ever feel unsafe?
Answer: Yeah, there’s always a downside. It’s hard feeling like you have to fit the beauty standard when your views are low and you’re losing followers. Occasionally, I have to do the best thing in that situation and block the person. Then I talk to someone who makes me feel happy and safe.
Question: I’m sorry you have to deal with that, but I’m glad you have a coping mechanism. After doing a little digging, I found a few people who have been impersonating you on TikTok and Instagram (using your content as their own). How do you feel about this? Is it a sign you’re making it in the industry or just an annoyance?
Answer: I mean, at first it was just annoying. But after a while, the best thing to do is report and block the users, and make sure people know that it is fake.
Question: Sounds like a good policy. What are some common misconceptions about social media influencers and, specifically, you?
Answer: It’s not just sunshine and rainbows. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but just because I have followers doesn’t mean that I’m always happy.
Question: Ok, last question. Do you think TikTok has helped you get through the pandemic? Is quarantine when you started growing your following?
Answer: I do think TikTok has helped. I’ve met a ton of new friends and I have a fan base. I mean obviously everyone has some aspiration to be famous and the Hollywood ideal, but I never thought that it would even get close to the amount of followers I have now. When quarantine started, I had a lot of extra time so I spent some on TikTok and hopefully, this is just the beginning.
Well, there you have it. You can follow Darya at @ohhitsdarya on TikTok and @ohhitsdarya on Instagram.
Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/741545894891858424/
NOTE: Some messages have been edited for grammar and clarity.
Question: Hi Darya! Can you introduce yourself? What’s your username, how many followers do you have, and what do you do on TikTok?
Answer: My name is Darya Toolsie but I usually go by Dasha. My username is @ohhitsdarya and I have 159.3K followers. For the most part, I just express myself through content, whether it be with friends or outfits or funny ideas. It’s all about having fun.
Question: Awesome! So, having fun is great. But with your amount of followers and influence, could this extend into financial benefits or even a career?
Answer: Yeah, of course. Right now I’m taking a lot of sponsorships that I promote on TikTok and Instagram. By using some of my promo codes you could save 20-40% on stuff that I sponsor. Clothing and shoe brands, phone cases, etc. However, I only like to promote things I think my followers would benefit from.
Question: That seems like a good rule. Do you think there are negative aspects to being popular on TikTok? Do you receive inappropriate comments/DMs or ever feel unsafe?
Answer: Yeah, there’s always a downside. It’s hard feeling like you have to fit the beauty standard when your views are low and you’re losing followers. Occasionally, I have to do the best thing in that situation and block the person. Then I talk to someone who makes me feel happy and safe.
Question: I’m sorry you have to deal with that, but I’m glad you have a coping mechanism. After doing a little digging, I found a few people who have been impersonating you on TikTok and Instagram (using your content as their own). How do you feel about this? Is it a sign you’re making it in the industry or just an annoyance?
Answer: I mean, at first it was just annoying. But after a while, the best thing to do is report and block the users, and make sure people know that it is fake.
Question: Sounds like a good policy. What are some common misconceptions about social media influencers and, specifically, you?
Answer: It’s not just sunshine and rainbows. I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but just because I have followers doesn’t mean that I’m always happy.
Question: Ok, last question. Do you think TikTok has helped you get through the pandemic? Is quarantine when you started growing your following?
Answer: I do think TikTok has helped. I’ve met a ton of new friends and I have a fan base. I mean obviously everyone has some aspiration to be famous and the Hollywood ideal, but I never thought that it would even get close to the amount of followers I have now. When quarantine started, I had a lot of extra time so I spent some on TikTok and hopefully, this is just the beginning.
Well, there you have it. You can follow Darya at @ohhitsdarya on TikTok and @ohhitsdarya on Instagram.
Image Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/741545894891858424/