Social Life: Patrick Holt '22

Utica Community
Utica Stories
Social Life: Patrick Holt '22

Utica College students who are living, learning, and inspiring others on social media.

It’s been said that Generation Z lives on social media. But with hundreds of thousands of views and followers between them, some Utica College students, like Patrick Holt '22, are doing more than posting party pics. They’re sharing their passions, developing career aspirations, and connecting with others in meaningful—and sometimes unexpected—ways.

Patrick Holt ’22
Hometown: Whitesboro, NY
Major: Communication and Media, Concentration in Creativity Studies
Circle Stick on YouTube
@circle_stick on TikTok

In It For Laughs

“My friends Jake Spears, Ryan Shanley, and I started our YouTube channel on July 23, 2020, and uploaded our first video the day after. Our goal then was to make videos and have a great time. However, as our channel has grown, we have changed our goals to make consistent content while making people laugh and feel safe in our community. We are a comedy “Let’s-Play” duo. We make videos where we play video games and make comedic commentary. Minecraft, Pokemon, and Mario are a few examples. Jake and I are the hosts of the show, and Ryan is our editor.”

Rare Find

“One of our most popular videos, at 125,000 views, features us finding something incredibly rare in Pokémon. This was our first major blow-up where most of our current fans found us. They connected with us because it was a game they liked and they enjoyed our commentary.”

Good to Grow

“We have been growing at a constant rate, with more than 3,000 subscribers on YouTube and 10,000 followers on TikTok. It feels great knowing people enjoy our content. Hundreds of people have reached out and told us how much our content has made them laugh and get them through hard times. We use this positivity to drive us forward.”

Biggest Social Media Pet Peeve

“Nothing drives me more insane than lazy content that is just pushed out to be pushed out. Ignorance also bothers me because people think they know everything and wonder why they aren’t growing. “

Talking Back

“The interaction with our followers is my favorite part of social media. I love reading comments and talking with fans on a daily basis. A nice comment can make my entire day. We have a very close relationship with our followers. They love our weekly live streams and being able to interact with us. Many people have said our content has helped their mental health through being a part of our accepting community and light-hearted humor.”

Career Goals

“Nothing would make me happier than making content for people to enjoy and watch as a career. Though unrealistic, it is still possible. It feels amazing to have fans and friends watch our content and genuinely enjoy that. The feeling of having a video do well is like no other.”