Influencer Axaila Tracks Her Screen Time Before She Goes Back To UCLA

In Chronically Online, Elite Daily asks people to get real about their phone habits, tracking their screen time over the course of seven days. This week, fashion content creator Axaila shares the apps she used the most as she gets ready to return to UCLA.

Fall is a busy time for most college students, but it’s even busier when you’re a content creator. When summer ends, Axaila, a sophomore at the University of California, must fit a new batch of classes into her already jam-packed influencer lifestyle.

Axaila, who says her content is “all about creativity, fashion, and inspiration,” has gained over 265,000 followers on TikTok, 263,000 followers on Instagram, and 11,000 subscribers on YouTube since first posting in 2020. “With plenty of time on my hands, I found myself constantly playing dress-up, which quickly turned into a passion for creating ‘outfit of the week’ videos,” she tells Elite Daily.

The film and TV major hopes to “explore a bit of everything after college,” which is no surprise if you’ve seen her IG. She’s a fashion girly who showcases her thrifted finds and DIY projects and also enjoys sharing “day in the life” vlogs to give a glimpse of life at UCLA. And recently, she’s gotten into cosplay.

She may be busy with classes starting up again this month, but Axaila believes that scheduling some time for bed rotting and scrolling on TikTok and Instagram is also necessary.

Below, the 19-year-old details her weekly phone habits as she prepares to go back to school in LA, including using Big Cartel for her online shop, editing YouTube videos, and FaceTiming her boyfriend.

Occupation: College student and content creator.

Age: 19.

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Weekly Average (August 12 - August 18): 4 hours, 47 minutes.

Day 1: Packing Orders & Chatting With My Boyfriend

On Monday, I started my day with an early Pilates class. Scheduling a morning workout helps me start my day productively and energized. After returning home and showering, I took my dogs for a walk around the neighborhood.

On my walk, I listened to my favorite artists on Spotify, like Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Okay Kaya, and a new artist my boyfriend has put me on named Mid-Air Thief. I love listening to music on these walks to hype me up and get me through it.

Later in the day, I started packing orders from my shop, Axaila’s Closet on Big Cartel. I want to get these shipped at the beginning of the week to ensure customers get everything ASAP. My mom (I call her my momager) and I work together, blast music, and sing.

I also called my boyfriend on FaceTime, and we played video games, talked about the day, and chismeando (the Spanish word for gossip). He instantly makes my day so much better.

Most Used Apps: FaceTime, Spotify, Big Cartel.

Screen Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes.

Day 2: Enjoying A Full Day Of Editing

I spent time organizing my content and editing YouTube videos before packing more orders. I am such a perfectionist, which is good and bad because it can take me quite a while to edit something.

I love putting effort into my content so it’s authentic and aesthetically pleasing. I leave in the funny, embarrassing moments that show my personality, too. A fun fact about me is that it is impossible for me to get embarrassed just because I embarrass myself enough.

It’s important to remember that no one is perfect, so you don’t want to lie to your audience or people who look up to you. Also, you only live once, so post the content that *you* want.

This day wasn’t fascinating; it was more of me sitting at a coffee shop near my house, sipping my iced coffee, and editing. I switched between my computer and phone using CapCut and Final Cut Pro.

Most Used Apps: CapCut, Final Cut Pro.

Screen Time: 6 hours.

Day 3: Working On My Work-Life Balance

I am in my “that girl” era, so I tried something I had always wanted to do: hot yoga. Although I hate sweating, it felt so good afterward — especially when a fresh breeze hit me as I walked out.

I wasn’t too busy on my phone in the morning because I also had an Anthropology 101 online class. I wanted to take one class this summer, so I only have to take two classes in the fall.

Life can be super overwhelming with school, my social life, working out, and content creation, so I made it a little easier on myself. When it comes to school and social media, it’s all about balance.

Later that night, I took an intermediate dance class. Dance is a big part of my life, and I’ve been doing it for over 15 years. I can’t wait to be back in LA to dance at studios like Millennium and Playground again.

After class, I showered and rotted in bed, scrolling TikTok and Instagram while FaceTiming a few friends.

Most Used Apps: Instagram, TikTok, FaceTime.

Screen Time: 4 hours.

Day 4: Getting Inspo For Cosplays On Pinterest

Today, I had a Zoom call for a few partnerships and brands I work with. I’ve been getting into cosplay lately, so after the call, I recorded a few Hatsune Miku, Flora from the Winx Club, and Sailor Moon TikToks.

I love cosplay; playing with makeup and costumes is so much fun. It’s another reason to dress up besides Halloween, my absolute favorite holiday. I used Pinterest for inspiration on makeup and styling.

Most Used Apps: Zoom, Camera, Pinterest.

Screen Time: 7 hours.

Day 5: Staying Off My Phone While Catching Up With Besties

I was rarely on my phone on Friday because I was with my girls. Time flies whenever I am with my high school besties, so there’s no reason to be scrolling.

We went to Chinatown, ate at a ramen place called Yamitsuki, and caught each other up on life. After dinner, we walked over to our favorite boba place, Vivi’s. It's so comfy and me-coded because it’s pink.

The only apps I used were Messages for talking to my boyfriend and doomscrolling later on Instagram.

Most Used Apps: Messages, Instagram.

Screen Time: 3 hours.

Day 6: Finding Dorm Inspo & Looking At My Class Schedule

Since I go to UCLA and live in Philadelphia, I’ve started planning, packing, and shopping for school. I wanted to get a head start because I absolutely love decorating.

I use Pinterest for inspiration on how I want my dorm to look. I also spent a lot of time reviewing my class schedule, planning what courses I wanted, and looking at extracurriculars (UCLA Reach and a few of my film clubs).

Most Used Apps: Pinterest.

Screen Time: 4 hours.

Day 7: Having A Sunday Reset At The Salon With Netflix

This is my favorite day of the week because I like having a Sunday reset. I slept in, woke up, and made homemade chocolate cookies (I’m in my Nara Smith era). I also went to the salon to get my eyebrows and nails done, as well as a facial.

There is also a cutesy and small flea market by my house every Sunday, so I stopped by and then got a matcha from a nearby coffee shop.

I wasn’t on my phone most of the day, but I indulged in Netflix while at the salon. I’m rewatching Black Mirror and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K — my ultimate comfort shows. Later that evening, I went for a jog and listened to Spotify. I also spent time on YouTube teaching myself to crochet since that has been a goal of mine this year.

Most Used Apps: YouTube, Spotify, Netflix.

Screen Time: 4 hours.

Final Thoughts: Tracking My Screen Time Allowed Me To Live In The Moment

Tracking my screen time is something I’d never done before, and it’s been eye-opening. While it might sound cliché, knowing my phone habits has helped me live more in the moment.

Social media often creates an illusion that’s far from reality. It’s crucial to remember that staying connected with loved ones, keeping active, and focusing on my work and passions are more vital.

However, it’s perfectly OK to indulge in some mindless scrolling and bed rotting now and then. The key is finding balance so you don’t slip into a daily routine that keeps you from truly living.

This as-told-to has been condensed and edited for clarity.