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  • Hi, my name is Roy.

  • Today I'm going to draw my life.

  • Psych!

  • I'm going to animate my life.

  • Let's get started.

  • So when my mom and dad got married,

  • they-- wait, wait, that's way too far.

  • Let's fast forward just a little bit.

  • It was August 21, 1991, and a new baby was born.

  • His name was Roy.

  • That's me.

  • I was born in the Kupang city Pangasinan in the Philippines.

  • I was a dark, big-headed baby, and I was cute, too.

  • At least, my parents said I was.

  • When I was two years old, my parents and I

  • moved across the world to America to a small town

  • called Durham, North Carolina.

  • My mom found a job there, and it was basically where I grew up.

  • When I was four, my parents brought home a little baby.

  • I was like, yo Ma!

  • Yo Pa!

  • Who dis?

  • Why is he in my space?

  • And they were like, this is your baby brother, Raymond.

  • I was like, wha?

  • How'd you do that?

  • And they're just like, it's a secret.

  • When I first went to school I was super shy,

  • and I always hated it.

  • I always wanted to be around my parents,

  • because they made me feel so happy.

  • One time in kindergarten, I had to pee so bad,

  • but the teacher was teaching at the time

  • so I couldn't, and I was so shy to tell anyone.

  • So I just eventually peed my pants.

  • I eventually took ESL, or English as a second language,

  • because my English was not too good.

  • It took me a while to get rid of it,

  • but I think I fixed my accent, which was really cool.

  • And then I remember playing LEGOs with Raymond,

  • and my parents came in with another baby.

  • We were both like, ew!

  • Who is that disgusting thing?

  • They were like, this is your baby brother, Russell.

  • I was just like freaked out.

  • I was like, how do you keep doing that?

  • And I remember Raymond was like, yo!

  • I thought that was a girl.

  • Eventually my brothers and I moved back to the Philippines

  • when I was eight.

  • My parents left us there while they got really situated

  • financially in America.

  • I remember I was horrified the first time I got there.

  • Like, being eight and knowing I'm

  • going to be living there for a while, that was a huge deal.

  • It took a really long time, but I grew to love the Philippines.

  • Just basking in my culture and being around my relatives

  • was just an awesome experience.

  • It really taught me how to open up to others

  • and appreciate things in life.

  • And just as I became comfortable living in the Philippines,

  • my dad came back and brought us back to America.

  • I was like, what?

  • I'm never going to be comfortable in my life.

  • Which is a good thing, because being uncomfortable

  • is the best way to grow.

  • When we got back to America, we saw this little baby

  • hanging around.

  • My mom was like, this is your baby sister, Ariel.

  • I was like, how do you guys keep doing this?

  • P.S. I was only 10 years old, so I really

  • didn't know how they kept doing that.

  • Anyways, I was in fifth grade at the time,

  • and I remember going to school, and I just remember

  • being extremely, extremely shy.

  • Mainly because I got so used to the Filipino culture,

  • and also I had a slight Filipino accent, which I thought

  • everyone would judge me.

  • It also sucked because everyone knew each other

  • because they'd been together all of elementary school.

  • And there's just me, the new boy from the other country.

  • I guess that really explains why I get quiet and shy sometimes.

  • But it took me a while to break out of my shell.

  • It wasn't until the eighth grade where

  • I met some friends I could be comfortable around.

  • Turns out, they weren't the best of friends,

  • but they really broke me out of my shell,

  • which I am thankful for.

  • That was also around the time my parents

  • bought a video camera they would never use,

  • so I would always use it and I would post it on YouTube.

  • This was also the same time YouTube was created-- 2005.

  • That was also when I created Wassabi productions.

  • I didn't think much of it back then,

  • but I'm so glad I made it.

  • Then high school came along, and that's really

  • when I started figuring out who I was.

  • I remember my friend invited me to this Catholic retreat called

  • Couples for Christ Youth, so I went.

  • And to be honest, hands down one of the best decisions

  • I have ever made.

  • I made a lot of lifelong friends there

  • who are like brothers and sisters to me now.

  • And being in that community, it really truly

  • helped me figure out my faith, myself, and it fixed me up.

  • With old friends gone and new friends made,

  • I've never been happier in my life.

  • I've gotten closer with my siblings, my parents,

  • and it was just so awesome.

  • After I graduated high school, I honestly

  • did not know what I wanted to do.

  • So I went to community college and tried

  • taking nursing classes.

  • It turns out nursing is not my thing,

  • so I transferred to North Carolina State University

  • to pursue computer engineering.

  • College was hard.

  • I remember sleeping in libraries multiple times,

  • because I was up all night studying

  • for some electrical circuit exam or whatever.

  • It wasn't until I posted a video on YouTube

  • called "Call Me Maybe Parody," when that video went viral,

  • I saw a change in perspective in my future.

  • I figured I would just focus on YouTube, because I

  • was already good at it.

  • So I changed my major to film studies.

  • And guess what?

  • I graduated.

  • I don't know how, but I did.

  • Plus, I did it for my mom, because her dream is for all

  • her kids to graduate college.

  • So I did it, Mom.

  • I don't know how.

  • I moved straight to Los Angeles right after college

  • to see what I could do with this YouTube career.

  • And Los Angeles really taught me a lot.

  • Remember when I said being uncomfortable

  • is what helps people grow?

  • That's what L.A. did to me.

  • It really solidified what I truly wanted in life.

  • Well, honestly, I still don't know what I want,

  • which is the greatest part.

  • I left Wassabi productions to create my own project

  • called Guava Juice.

  • Not sure where it's going to go.

  • But I know with constant hard work

  • it'll go somewhere eventually.

  • Being successful doesn't mean having the most money

  • or owning a nice car or house.

  • I just believe it means being truly happy with yourself

  • and doing your best to inspire those around you.

  • Honestly, if it wasn't for everyone watching,

  • I wouldn't even be here right now.

  • So I really want to thank everyone for supporting me

  • through my journey.

  • If you're new to my journey, welcome.

  • I can't wait to share what I have in store for you.

  • Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this Animate My Life.

  • Stay humble.

  • Remember you are amazing, and I'll see you guys later.

  • Bye

Hi, my name is Roy.

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