Gen Z YouTuber, Hanna Vanharanta, tells the journey of recording her life in the online space. She plans to fill that space with memories until she’s 80. In an age of overwhelming volume of content online, is being a content creator a viable career?
We have all wondered what we will be doing when we are older. 22-year-old YouTuber, Hanna Vanharanta, imagines her childhood passion enduring far into the unpredictable future. She pictures herself still filming, editing and posting videos online when she becomes, in the words of W. B. Yeats, “old and grey and full of sleep.”
“Content creation is always going to be a part of my life. When I’m 80, I’ll probably still be posting YouTube videos for my 80-year-old girl friends,” Hanna says, flashing a double finger victory sign and smiling conspiratorially.
Since graduating from the University of Hong Kong in June 2025, Hanna has become a full-time YouTube content creator. With over 236,000 subscribers, her videos revolve mainly around vlogs documenting her life with friends, family and school, covering everything from hanging out and studying for exams to decorating her bedroom.
In an online interview with Youth Hong Kong, Hanna recalls her journey since her very first video, posted 11 years ago. She shares reflections on the reality that lies behind a seemingly glamorous career, as well as her vision for the future. For her, being a content creator is not just a passing fad — it has longevity.
The Algorithm Found My People
Hanna started posting videos at the age of 15 as a high school hobby and a creative outlet. “I’ve always felt like a creative kid, loving singing, dancing and taking photos,” she says, so when the YouTube trend emerged, she and her friends naturally began making videos of their own.
Growing up with the internet and social media like everyone from Gen Z, Hanna initially posted for herself and her friends, capturing memories with clips of “being silly.” After a year or two, when some videos went viral, she began to truly develop her online community. “I guess the algorithm found my people.”
“I learnt that telling the story of my life through a lens is what I enjoy the most, especially when filming something very ordinary, like walking around or going to school.” Editing and putting these moments together, then making them into a compelling miniature movie, gives her fulfilment. “I’ve never had anything else that has given me much more fulfilment than this.”
Most young people dream of becoming teachers, firefighters, or astronauts. Even a few years ago, being a creator was not considered a career option. This was true not only for the older generations, but also for Hanna’s own. Before university, she had no idea one could earn money from making videos. Upon graduation, however, her parents and friends encouraged her to explore content creation as a full-time career and see where it would lead.
When Work Never Switches Off
Like any job, content creation can lead to burnout, especially as Hanna’s viewer count and video output grew. “When you like something so much, you don’t want to do it badly,” Hanna points out, adding that she feels pressure to create new, exciting stories even when her days are sometimes repetitive. She does not want to let people down.
“I want to put my best foot forward and create something I feel proud of,” she says. Sometimes, she questions the quality of a video she has made or gets stuck for inspiration. “You have to wait for inspiration. You can’t force it, but it’s very painful to just wait.”
At the same time, having the autonomy to decide what to do as a content creator — which may sound like a privilege to some — also contributes to burnout. Documenting everyday existence blurs the line between work and life, she says. “I never fully switch off. This is my life,” she explains. “When you’re so into something like this and can be your own boss, you don’t really check out.”
To maintain a healthy balance, Hanna takes one day off every week to escape from filming or editing videos. This helps save her from constant exhaustion, she says.
She is aware of the complicated nature of social media and algorithms, as well as the dilemma of creating content that works well for audiences rather than just being her authentic self. As long as she has passion and a clear picture of the content she enjoys, she says that moments of struggle pass, and enjoyment returns.
“It’s hard not to let the numbers affect you, but if that’s your only goal, it’s going to make you burn out quickly,” she warns, emphasising that content must come from “a place of passion” and genuine enjoyment. “If you don’t have that and you’re chasing something else, you’ll get very tired of it very quickly.”
She’s not overly worried about receiving negative comments or being judged. This courage stems from her parents’ encouragement, support and protection. Although she started posting videos about her life in high school, Hanna’s parents monitored them and the comments on her channel, actively protecting her while still allowing space for creative exploration.
“They wanted me to study hard, so they allowed me to pursue my passions, but they also wanted me to experience life as a child. So I think they did a really good balancing job while allowing me an outlet for creativity,” she reveals. “My parents always told me that nothing is embarrassing about just being you and living life just for yourself, so I’ve lived like that my whole life.”
Love My Community
Through her YouTube channel over the past decade, Hanna has built her own online community. Most of her followers are Hong Kong girls of her own age, and sometimes, perhaps surprisingly, they are mothers who want to find out what their children think is trendy. Hanna is happy to attract followers of all ages, not only those who grew up with her through high school, on to university, and into the workplace. “It’s kind of funny, growing up together like that. It’s really lovely. I love my community.”
Because of her background growing up in a Hong Kong-Finnish mixed family, her online content also attracts curious people from abroad who have connections with the city but never lived here, those who want to know what life is like being of mixed parentage, or simply those who want to switch off their brains and relax through her videos.
Vlogging at 80
In an age of bombardment from influencers every day, Hanna believes that everyone can become an influencer. “You just have to be unique, and everyone’s unique. It’s just a matter of how you want to share your story.” She is optimistic about the future of content creation and young people with creative ambitions. She thinks Hong Kong needs more young influencers and hopes to meet more people sharing their talent like her, but in domains such as music and art.
Her message is that if you believe you have stories to tell, just tell them; don’t be scared, have the courage to try and just be yourself. “I think the biggest fear people have is judgment. It’s normal because it’s weird to put yourself out there.”
No matter how fast the world changes, Hanna thinks being an influencer is a long-term, sustainable career, and the skills of telling different kinds of stories are transferable, regardless of the industry or the era.
When it comes to future career plans, Hanna is open to possibilities. “I don’t want to put myself in a box and let content creation be the only thing in my life,” she says. In a fast-changing world where a new career can emerge at any moment, she’s willing to dabble in any creative field that interests her. “Content creation is such a random thing. I didn’t know that when I was younger, but I do now.”
For Hanna, the YouTube channel she built, one video after another, is her “baby,” an online space full of memories and a fundamental part of her identity. “Doing social media and making videos is a part of me and always will be. I have never ever thought of quitting. Even if I decided to become a lawyer, for example, I would always do this on the side.”
No matter how quickly the world evolves, Hanna is sure that her love for capturing life and sharing videos will not fade. “I think it would be cute to watch myself growing old while posting scenes from my life. It would be like a little time capsule on the internet that will always be a part of me.” ■