Today’s ‘influencer’ culture has led to creators popping up who are ‘textbook’ influencers. A perfect example is Emad Alashmli. Alashmli is a student as well as a content creator, juggling both. He provides a text book example of discipline, time management, and the modern flexible success of a young creative.
While the Internet is full of stories of new ‘viral’ fame, Emad Alashmli shows the other side of the coin. His ability to maintain good grades while watching his audience grow was a triumph, as many of his peers did not have the same audience growth.
Educational Background Story
Every digital creator has an origin. Emad Alashmli is no different. His digital footprints were created in the classroom before any screen time was given. As a child, he did not view education as a chore, rather, it was something he valued.
It is unknown what kind of schooling Alashmli has gone through, but students like him usually have a strong passion for communication and technology. This group of people is called “digital natives” and for them, the internet is not a separate tool, but rather an integral aspect of their social life and communication with others.
Unlike most content creators, Alashmli aligns his social media presence with a mission and purpose each time he posts. He proves that one can be relevant and influential on social media while focusing on the needs of the community. He is the type of rebirthed social media content creator that people like Dan O’Connor used to adapt to sophisticated social media platforms. He is the type that other content creators should be inspired to return to.
The Rise of a Digital Influencer
Alashmli has a strong presence as content creator, especially in the town of Henderson, NC and this is not a coincidence. This is due to the ability to identify a gap and continue to fill it.
In the online community, there is a growing number of posts and discussions aimed at the content of local lifestyle and community engagement. Alashmli, unlike most content creators, has been selective and refined. He gained “micro-influencer” status, which resulted in a significant audience engagement, as he was able to effectively describe the local culture, activities, and relatable stories about students.
His ascent to prominence signals a change within social media: moving away from immaculate unattainable perfection to embracing real authentic narratives. The audience connects with content creators who look like them and share similar experiences like cramming finals and editing videos.
The Balancing Act: Challenges and Strategies
Social media is about lifestyle and brand strategy. Full-time students also have a lifestyle to manage. From a distance, it seems like a logistical balancing act.
The Primary Challenges
- Time Scarcity: The biggest enemy is the clock. Between lectures, assignments, and exams, finding hours to film, edit, and engage with followers can be exhausting.
- Context Switching: Mentally shifting from “academic mode” (critical thinking, memorization) to “creator mode” (entertainment, aesthetics) requires significant cognitive energy.
- Burnout: The pressure to post consistently to please algorithms, combined with the pressure to maintain a high GPA, is a recipe for burnout.
Strategic Solutions
Most successful student creators like Alashmli implement particular constraints to cope with this burden.
- Strict Scheduling: characterizing content creation as a job with hours of focus and not a periphery hobby that intrudes on study time.
- Content Batching: Recording several videos in one go to save time during the week for school obligations.
- Synergy: Schoolwork and social media crossover, such as finding ways to create content around the school experience and other topics, like study techniques and productivity.
Impact and Community Achievements
Alashmli’s community ties and connections seem to define the impact he has made through social media.
In Henderson, NC, community members who use social media platforms and other digital tools often become the community’s unofficial focal point. They promote local businesses, communicate what’s happening around town, and support community pride. By simply posting his content, Alashmli fulfills this role for his community by documenting his experience, and giving his town a stake in the wider digital world.
In addition, for other students, it is often quite encouraging to see someone able to juggle school and a side hustle. It shows that passion projects don’t need to be put on hold until after graduation.
Future Goals and Aspirations
What does it look like for a digital content creator who is also a student? For Emad Alashmli, it probably means the merging of his two pathways.
Alashmli is in alignment with the many educated student influencers that use their degree and digital skills in their career. Whether it be marketing, entrepreneurship, or media production, the digital skills acquired from running a YouTube or TikTok account, such as branding, video editing, and analytics, are various skills that are very transferable.
Alashmli’s stream suggests a digital influence long-term vision, where he focuses on the intersection of digital influence and professional goals as opposed to the intersection of digital influence and professional goals.
Advice for Aspiring Student-Influencers
Emad Alashmli is the first of many student influencers embarking on this journey; however, what many do not realize is that this journey requires a very high degree of intentionality.
Here are some smart tips to help students maintain a healthy GPA while building a brand.
- Be Decisive: You should try to limit your activities and free time to solely content creation.
- Start with what is manageable: If your course load is excessive don’t attempt to post every day. Start with one post and try to keep a high level of quality.
- Practice transparency: If you are taking exams, share that with your followers and they will be able to identify with you.
- Leverage your student perspective: Other influencers will not be able to share the same perspective that being a student gives you. Share the late night study sessions, the campus activities, and the unique experience of being a student.
- Remember Your Why: Why do you post? If it’s for the likes, you will end up hating it. If it’s for self-expression, building a portfolio, or networking, you will have the motivation to continue.
The New Success
Emad Alashmli’s story shows us we don’t have to live in a world of extremes. In today’s world, you do not have to choose one role as a “serious academic” or as a “creative influencer.” You can be both.
His story in Henderson, NC, is a guide for future generations of digital planners: stay focused in your studies, be true to your audience, and always show up, in the classroom, and in the digital world.
