BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Through an unconventional career arc that wove in and out of academia, through bars, restaurants and PR firm work, V Spehar kept a message in mind.
"You are smart, trust yourself," Spehar told the audience at Lehigh University's Compelling Perspectives series Thursday.
"And that's the advice that I give myself every day when I have a moment where I second guess what I'm doing ... and that's the thing I want you to think about."
Spehar, now a TikTok journalist with more than 3 million followers, spoke Thursday about the state of new media, and shared educational and life advice to the largely student crowd.
But much of the message covered Spehar's journey and the messages listeners could apply to their lives.
Before rising to fame as a TikToker, Spehar studied theater at Wagner College in Staten Island, New York, then got a master's degree at Parker University in Dallas, Texas.
Spehar said the original plan was to move to New York City and pursue acting, but instead opted for the MBA, "which was probably better in the long run."
'It had millions of views'
After graduating, Spehar took an entry-level job at J. Walter Thompson, an advertising firm in New York City. That stint lasted for only 30 days.
"I hated it," Spehar said. "I wasn't good at working the 9-to-5 thing and in the office in New York, it's, like, very overwhelming to me. And I couldn't do the office politics thing."
"In my Webby Awards speech, you only get five words. And so my five words were: 'You are smart; trust yourself,' and that's the advice that I give myself every day when I have moment where I second guess what I'm doing."TikTok journalist V Spehar
After that, Spehar decided to work in bars and restaurants, before unexpectedly getting a lot of attention for a seemingly silly video posted online.
During the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Spehar decided to make a funny video from under a desk, addressing then-Vice President Mike Pence.
"I thought nothing of it — and then went back to it, it had millions of views," Spehar said.
"I think that was because we took a moment that was scary, and sort of, high stakes, and we created an unpredictable, kind of funny environment that made people pay attention.
"The message was also light enough that they could receive it, without being 'triggered,' necessarily."
From there, Spehar pursued content creation full-time, mainly on TikTok, but also YouTube, Instagram and, for a while, on a podcast called "V Interesting."
"I'm not exactly sure what a conventional journalistic path is, or conventional path to being a TikToker," the event's moderator, Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble, said.
"But I'm pretty sure you didn't follow it."
Advice to students
During a "lightning round" of questions and answers during the session, Spehar repeated the phrase "You are smart, trust yourself."
They are words Spehar repeats often.
"In my Webby Awards speech, you only get five words," Spehar said. "And so my five words were: 'You are smart; trust yourself.'"
"Continue to prioritize those in-person relationships, and if you're going to spend time trying to change somebody's opinion, do it with somebody who you actually have to interact with, not necessarily online."TikTok journalist V Spehar
Spehar also expressed the importance of in-person, and offline interactions when it comes to unity.
"Continue to prioritize those in-person relationships, and if you're going to spend time trying to change somebody's opinion, do it with somebody who you actually have to interact with, not necessarily online," the TikToker said.
Spehar took questions from the audience and shared words of encouragement for the transgender community in the Lehigh Valley.
There also was a bit of local advice.
In what was Spehar's first visit to the Lehigh Valley, while staying at Hotel Bethlehem, the staff went out of its way to communicate that Spehar's room was not haunted, the TikToker said.
If you are looking for the haunted room, Spehar said, it's 932.
