Twitch streaming has been around now for about seven years. Twitch.tv became open to the public in 2011 and since then has been the dominate site for the online-game-streaming industry. There are many casual Twitch streamers out there who dabble along with those who consider maybe doing it but just don’t know how.
Dreageekgirl is a newly partnered Twitch Streamer with passion for the gaming community. Being partnered with Twitch meaning that she is part of the top 17% in the world now. Her radiant personality and upbeat interactions with the chat on her Twitch channel are a breath of fresh air. She focuses her channel on not only gaming but makes it a mission to spread positivity to all who tune into her stream.
It’s no secret that when you put yourself out there in the world of the internet things can either go extremely right or horribly wrong. There is always a chance someone will target you and try to make you miserable. I wanted to know more about how she can stay so positive even while dealing with some of the darker aspects of Twitch Streaming, like trolls, on a daily basis. So I reached out for an interview.
Can you tell me a little about yourself? What’s your background gaming and otherwise?
I grew up in California with my family and have two brothers, so gaming has always been a part of my life. It’s a way we spent time together and a common interest we have.
You worked in child development and helping kids with special needs, What made you interested in twitch streaming?
It felt rewarding working with children who had autism mild to severe. I’ve been doing it for 6 years and I felt there needed to be a change in my career. One day, I wanted to stream a YouTube game playthrough but that failed. So, my husband recommended that I use Twitch to stream games. What made me more interested in Twitch streaming was that I felt more of an appreciation from the community and it was something that I felt that I can succeed in.
What is it you like about streaming?
What I love about streaming are the communities I’m involved in. They have been supporting me towards all my goals. Especially, making it possible to stream full-time when I announced pursuing partnership. The people that I have met and the friends that I have made through Twitch is something that is very dear to me. It takes streaming from a potentially lonely place to a world of acceptance and warmth.
How did you choose your screen name?
My real name is Andrea and I like to go by Drea. I chose geek because of my love for gaming and Disney!
What does it mean to become a Twitch affiliate?
Becoming an affiliate means, “yay you get paid!” but it importantly means, “I can start working towards the next step.” Always have goals right after the next even if it’s big or small and keep growing. It also means that you represent the company and should keep your channel clean. Being a representative is a big deal and an honor. I am so greatly appreciative that I attained this status recently and I am completely grateful.
What kinds of things do you do to keep your channel fun?
Sometimes I like do giveaways, cosplays, play different story mode games, or cooking streams etc. The sky’s the limit when it comes into being creative on this platform.
What are your favorite fandoms? Do you cosplay?
My favorite Disney princess will always be Ariel. I love Eevee from Pokemon. My favorite superhero is my husband Andrew! If I haven’t said it before the support he gives me is invaluable. I couldn’t do it without him.
I do cosplay sometimes on my channel. The most popular one is usually DVA because she is so in right now. It’s fun and I like to dress up, I’m not sure I would call it a full blown hobby though.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjUUJRgFtzo/?taken-by=dreageekgirl
Are there any rules that need to be followed as far as content? What can and can’t be done?
Content needs to fit you. Do you and make the channel unique. If there is an idea you want to try, DO IT! But seriously they have been cracking down on people being lewd so you can’t do that. I personally never had an interest in attracting a crowd that way but there are many others who had to find another way to bring people into their channel.
What was one of your best experiences? Do you have any special moments you would like to share?
When I did my first IRL stream on December 2017, I was so nervous on what everyone would think of me but it ended up being an amazing stream! Everyone came together, gifted subs, and were just being very supportive, that I couldn’t stop crying for most of the stream. Each sub got a Christmas ornament on the tree and it was pretty much filled up by the end of the night. The community caring about me and my small channel meant the world, which motivated to keep streaming.
How do you deal with the attention? When does it become a problem?
Attention can be positive and negative. Positive can be people being encouraging, motivating and sweet. For a girl streamer it can be difficult at times. Once someone has been in the stream for quite sometime, I know them so certain things are fine to say. When someone is brand new and make rude comments about me, moderators are there to ban them. I choose moderators that I trust to keep the chat safe and fun for everyone.
Do you have any advice for people in how to deal with predators or trolls in the chat? Are there any precautions you can take to protect yourself?
My advice is to “not feed the trolls.” What that means is not to give the attention to the negative comment the troll make because they are most of the time looking for attention or a reaction from you. At times the same troll/s can make multiple accounts and try again to get to you. As long as you report, block and ignore it goes away. There are more people to back a streamer up then a small troll.
Speaking of protecting yourself, how do you keep a positive attitude when dealing with negative comments? What type of ways can you protect your mental health?
I protect my mental health by taking some breaks from streaming or do an outdoor activity. Working out, going shopping or the park helps me cope after a draining streaming session.
What is your emotional support system? I know you mentioned that Twitch streamers help other twitch streamers. How does that happen? Can you explain how you can protect one another?
Streams protect one another in networking and getting to know each other. Telling each other that we are there for one another. I am lucky that I have my husband as a support system. We talk to each other about every stream or if something happened to where it was negative.
Do you have any advice for those who want to get into streaming?
Be yourself and don’t give up on your goals for your channel. It’s YOUR channel and YOU choose what to do with it. Get creative and just have a great time! Support one another big or small. If you have any questions about what kind of equipment to use then you can always ask another streamer, I got so much great advice from my friends about what to use vs. what not to. If you don’t have the means to set up right away don’t worry! Even a regular cam is sufficient for just starting out. There are so many different types of twitch streams, if you don’t feel comfortable doing something with gaming why not try a creative channel? There are people out there who bead, sew, paint. There is even a channel for old Bob Ross videos!
How can we keep up with you?
You can follow me on Twitch, Instagram, or Twitter
Do you have a favorite Twitch Streamer? Let NerdBot know in the comment who your go to is!
