Once Upon a Time, I Was a YouTuber (But Not the Kind You're Thinking Of)
Published: September 21, 2025 • 9 min read
Once upon a time, I was a YouTuber.
Now don't get all excited—I wasn't your regular YouTuber with funny entertaining videos or vlogs. I was a Mathematics teacher... yes, you heard that right.
The Making of a Math Enthusiast
Back in high school, I was practically obsessed with Mathematics. I enjoyed it so much and was very good at both Mathematics and Further Mathematics. Because of how naturally it came to me, people would constantly approach me with questions about concepts they were struggling with, and I would help them out. Teaching mathematics became an everyday thing for me back in my boarding school (yes, my secondary school was a boarding school).
In my school, we had something called a learning resource center. This center was open for both people who were willing to sacrifice the otherwise compulsory daily siestas to learn more about subjects they were struggling with, and people who were willing to teach subjects to other students.
I signed up to teach mathematics, and that's how all my afternoons went from Grade 9 till Grade 12. I even received an award at the end of Grade 11 for being the most diligent teacher at the learning resource center. I really loved explaining these concepts that came so easily to me and brought me so much joy to other people.
My grades in math and further math were always the highest—consistently well above 90%—even better than other conventionally "easier" subjects because of how much time I dedicated to studying and teaching it. I can confirm from experience: the more you explain something to other people, the better you become at it.
From Classroom to Camera
When I graduated high school at 16 years old, my regular routine of teaching mathematics naturally ended. However, I was not ready to stop teaching math. So what did I do? I started a YouTube channel called Math Bosses.
As I write this, I remember my first attempt at recording a video. I lived in a very lively and usually full house, so finding a space to record while keeping out the noise was definitely going to be a hassle. I remember distinctly one time building some sort of dome for myself where I stacked multiple pillows to create a soundproof space to record the audio for my videos.
Then I eventually learned about noise-canceling software, lol.
The Journey of 26 Videos
I recorded a total of 26 videos on my YouTube channel. For a very long time, it was hard for me to watch and listen to my own videos. Hearing my own voice made me cringe so badly, and I don't know why.
But today, as I write this, I revisited my channel and played a video, and for the first time, I was comfortable. It was actually nice to hear the voice of my 16-year-old self who took a shot at starting a YouTube channel despite having no role models who pushed me in that direction.
I'm actually really proud of her.
Why I Stopped (And What I Learned)
Now, why did I stop making videos, you may ask?
After I moved to Canada to start my undergraduate studies at Trent University, the workload of university combined with the weight of navigating a new world (Canada) as well as starting my hair braiding side hustle (more on that some other day) took all my time, and I couldn't continue anymore.
I also started studying Computer Science and had developed a new love for programming, so I guess that took my attention away from Mathematics instead.
But regardless, it was a good experience. I learned a lot about things not related to math. This was where I had my first experience trying to create engaging thumbnails, I learned a bit about copywriting as well as SEO techniques. I'm really glad I took the chance when I did, and I believe having this experience was what made Cambium Inc employ me at the time, even though I went on to do much more than video making.
The Full Circle Moment
You know, when I was training AI models on Mathematics at Outlier, that brief period reignited my love for mathematics. I forgot how much I loved working with numbers and deciphering word problems.
Gosh, you must really think I'm a nerd right now, and honestly, I won't deny it. I actually am, and I love the fact that simple things like this excite me. I always love sharing my excitement with others.
The Unexpected Connections
Looking back now, it's fascinating how this early YouTube experience connects to everything that followed in my career:
- Content creation skills that helped me excel at Cambium Inc when I was creating 60+ training videos
- Teaching and explaining complex concepts that proved invaluable when training AI models
- Learning to communicate effectively through different mediums
- Understanding audience engagement and how to make technical content accessible
The 16-year-old me building pillow forts to record math videos had no idea she was developing skills that would become essential in her future tech career. Sometimes the most valuable experiences are the ones that seem completely unrelated to your "main path."
The Beauty of Unfinished Stories
Would I ever go back to continue Math Bosses? Honestly, I'm not sure. I guess the future will tell 🙂
But what I do know is that this experience taught me something important: it's okay to try things without knowing where they'll lead. The YouTube channel didn't become the next Khan Academy, but it gave me confidence, skills, and joy that carried forward into everything else I've done.
Sometimes the most important part of a story isn't how it ends—it's the courage to begin and the growth that happens along the way.
And who knows? Maybe somewhere out there, one of those 26 videos helped a struggling student finally understand that tricky algebra concept. If that's the case, then Math Bosses was a complete success, even if it was just for a moment in someone else's story.
This post is part of my "Personal Stories" series, where I share the unexpected journeys and experiences that shaped who I am today. Sometimes the most interesting chapters are the ones you never planned to write.