Arasha ’21

when i first arrived at emerson in 2017, I was eager for a fresh start in a brand-new place where no one knew me. For some kids, that’s terrifying. For me, it was my college experience. Before that point, I didn’t have nearly enough courage to know what I wanted or even believe that I could get it. Now, I was thrust into discovering it.

While at Emerson, I found out that I could get an interdisciplinary degree, a self-designed major that would allow me to take classes in multiple departments. The liberal arts had always called me; I just didn’t know which direction it was coming from. And I didn’t fully figure that out until the end of my college career when I was taking predominantly acting classes. I was able to study the liberal arts at a wider range than most, and, as a result, I am shaped by the four years I spent in Boston. While in school, I called my major “Television Personality and Performance,” but these days, I call it “my made-up major.” But if it wasn’t for this made-up major, I wouldn’t be the person and professional I am today.

I want to express my appreciation for my alma mater and the community within it for following through on the promise that we all hear at Emerson. I have connected with so many people in the industry who also were an RA in P-Row or also studied abroad at the castle or also did whatever 5,000 co-curriculars we all throw ourselves into when we’re at Emerson. It’s an instant connection, and people in this town know that they can trust an Emersonian.

I plunged into the entertainment industry primarily through the digital space as a cast member and flagship creator on the YouTube channel Smosh. But after a couple of years, I understood that to really stand out, you need to show self-authorship—build something that’s yours. So, I created, wrote, and starred in my own live show, How I Met Your Masi, and streamed it globally. I’m now touring with that show and adapting the project into a television pilot. Simultaneously, I recently pitched, developed, and am now hosting my very own podcast that launched on April 2. It’s a call-in confession show called Fesspool, and it is already welcoming a ton of new audiences for me. I’m regularly auditioning for film and TV jobs and facing the ups and downs of nearly having incredibly cool opportunities. And, of course, I’m also doing what everyone is doing where I’m posting on social media and questioning every second of it. I’m constantly working on a range of different projects…because you have to. This business has only gotten more competitive, and, like I mentioned, you have to stand out for true longevity.

I strongly believe that it’s important to do the many things that excite you to eventually discover what you want. That you need to
do whatever it takes to find out exactly who you are, so that you can do everything in service of expressing exactly that to the world. The closer you are to understanding what makes you special, the sooner you’ll find the answer of where you’re meant to be.

Arasha ’21 is a South Asian performer who has garnered a significant fan base in the digital and social media space, establishing her identity as an internet personality and flagship creator on YouTube’s Smosh. She made her network debut on season five of Apple TV’s For All Mankind. You can also watch her on online platforms like Dropout TV, on stage in her comedy special How I Met Your Masi, or on demand in her hit new podcast, Fesspool, a show where viewers call in to confess their dirty secrets.