You don’t need to be Alix Earle — partying at the University of Miami and dating a professional athlete —- to launch a successful influencer career. Turns out Halifax, and more specifically Dalhousie University, has its own Alix.
Throughout Dal O-Week, Danella Calina, a third-year neuroscience student at Dal, became a key face on the Dalhousie Student Union’s Instagram page. Calina, with her long black hair and baby doll outfits, promotes Dal events through fun and engaging videos.
“I was actually on my hiatus from influencing when I applied to be the social media coordinator for the DSU, but it helped me want to get back into it,” says Calina.
She first dabbled in influencing in middle school.
“At the time, it seemed like such a big thing because not many people were doing it and the pool wasn’t as large,” says Calina.
However, she felt that she was too young and couldn’t fully commit to the role of an influencer at the time. When Calina got to high school, she decided to give it another try, and watched as her platform grew.
She started by sharing her outfits and leaning into “princess core,” an aesthetic that blends fairytale dresses and historical royalty – think Bridgerton. Calina’s Instagram handle, @princess.danella, instantly tells people what to expect from her account.
In her profile picture, she’s posed with a duck face while a tiara sits on her head. Along with the princess persona, she describes her content as “STEM and art fusion,” blending her love for science and fashion.
“I remember the first time I used hashtags, and I felt so cringy,” says Calina. “Because I didn’t make a new account, I just started doing it on my personal account.”
As time went on, Calina realized that what started as a fun way to show off her style and gain followers could turn into a business.
“Suddenly, brands started reaching out and wanted to work with me,” says Calina.
In high school, she had to figure out how to navigate the business side of influencing alone.
“My mom would chip in and help me figure things out if it was a paid partnership, but it was mainly just me doing it,” Calina says.
Balancing school and an influencing career in high school was not easy. Calina says that she often felt “burnt out.” In her senior year of high school, she decided to take a break; it wasn’t until her first year of university that she decided to try again.
“I look back, and it was so much to handle at such a young age,” says Calina. “There is a lot of criticism and a lot of pressure, and you’re exposing yourself to everyone’s opinions.”
Judgement is something that Calina has learned to brush off. When asked if it’s weird knowing her classmates are following her content and seeing her online collaborations with brands, she didn’t seem fazed.
“I’m used to getting recognized, especially on campus,” Calina says. “That is just what comes with being a face of the DSU, but it’s cool to know you are being perceived by people.”
The world of campus influencers is not unique to Calina; some students claim to see more local creators flooding their feeds.
“I see a lot of Dal students doing day in their lives and I actually think it’s really cool,” says second-year computer science student, Wendy Johnson.
Are these influencers actually influencing fellow students? It can be hit or miss.
“When they are promoting brands, like for example Lululemon, I am not really buying it,” says Johnson. “I know they are really just doing it because they are getting paid. But when I see them posting from cute cafés, it makes me want to go.”
Some universities are leaning into the growing influencer marketing, with courses like “Influencer Marketing (And What Comes Next),” at the University of Guelph-Humber. The course is designed to help students make content, understand marketing and adapt to the changing online world.
Hannah Fording, a second-year arts student, says she often sees student influencers from Queen’s University. Similar to Johnson, when Fording sees different restaurants recommended by influencers, she wants to try them.
“If the place looks cool, I definitely want to try it,” says Fording.
While student influencers may be popular online, Calina feels like a normal student on campus just working a part-time job. Having her life on display can be busy and stressful, and the effort to not burn out can be hard. Calina says she now understands how important it is to take breaks in order to balance both school and influencing.
“My advice for people wanting to influence is that your mental health is more important than how many followers you have,” she says. “Your life won’t fall apart if you don’t post every single day.”
