How does an influencer make their brand online all about living offline? Zara Mcintosh, or commonly known as ‘whatzaraloves’, uses her platform to advocate for physical media and in person communication. She encourages young people to engage more with physical artefacts such as journals, newspapers, zines, CD’s and radio. Having recently moved from Edinburgh to London, she first made a name for herself by delving into lifestyle, queer culture and fashion on her podcast which she films on the iconic Lothian buses.
Due to not living close by, my interview with her was conducted over email, us both noticing the irony given the topic we were discussing. With over 70k followers, the 22-year-old was eager to discuss more intentional living and in person dating. After asking if there has been any standout research or experiences that has caused her to focus on these physical forms, I heard the classic Gmail ‘ping’ sound:
“I love being able to actively consume media by physically engaging with it, which is largely what draws me to physical media. Things such as physically annotating books or cutting up magazines to make collages really enhance my experience with media which I can’t get online. Returning to my love of zine making last year heightened my love for physical media again as I started engaging with other zine makers and exhibitions – and London is great for connecting such creatives.”
She also had a lot to say concerning in person dating, not only did she base her dissertation on dating app usage amongst queer women but she herself used these apps, in fact she met her current partner through hinge. However, what Zara found was that for many queer people who may find it harder to be visible, these apps are vital for meeting people. Whilst she is not opposed to online dating and is grateful to have met people through them, she said:
“I think in-person dating events aimed at queer people will help break down this barrier. I’d love to see more of these arise so we can all live out our in-person meet-cute fantasy. In an ideal world, I would have had an in-person meet-cute or mutual set-up, but I am not ashamed to have met online.”
Zara also studied at Edinburgh Napier University, a connection that made her feel inclined to chat with me about her experience. Now being in London, she is constantly surrounded by social events, queer communities and opportunities to get offline.
In response to me asking about Edinburgh’s dating pool and its approach to younger people being more intentional with in person experiences, Zara said:
“I found a real lack of events when I lived in Edinburgh, so I ended up creating one myself with my best friend. Edinburgh is very vibrant and accepting, so it was not an issue to organise everyone together. The event was a success and the demand was there, I just think there aren’t enough people facilitating in-person events.”
More options are becoming available in Edinburgh, such as Thursday Dating. After making a video about in person dating, she received an influx of responses from her audience. She said:
“It became clear that many are fed up with the concept of online dating. The response was so interesting, with many agreeing they’d love to be set up on dates by friends as opposed to seeking it online. I was inspired by a wrestling speed dating event that I’d seen as it seemed to have pushed the boat out in the realms of dating events, but the reception to it was so high! I realised that people are clearly sick of our current forms of digital dating so are seeking extreme, exciting, in-person events. I think we all crave a deeper insight into personalities that we can’t gauge online, and events like wrestling or PowerPoint nights are the clearest way to assess someone’s vibe.”
After talking with Zara and researching physical media, I think it is a positive thing to spend less time on our phones, but it is important to consider how becoming completely unplugged might be unrealistic in terms of our generation’s comfort and connections through the online world.
There is a possibility to be present and intentional by striking a balance between the two. One thing that in person encounters and using physical mediums showed me was that we can prioritise physical experiences all while having technology within reach, just maybe less as a reliance.
