The Sister Behind @Sistersnacking
The story of the youngest out of the four Paperny sisters
For Julia Paperny, being the youngest of four sisters wasn’t so fun when it meant missing out on fancy dinners with influencers. She remembers listening to her sisters plan their newest brand trip to Japan, or discuss what they were going to wear to the Barstool Sports party.
“I was so jealous,” Paperny said.
The restaurant reviewing Instagram account @Sistersnacking, now led by Julia and her three older sisters, has 341,000 followers and 361,100 on TikTok. Papareny’s mouth curved into a smile as she explained that what her sisters started as a fun hobby became their family’s full time job.
As the youngest in her family, Paperny is a junior Television Radio and Film (TRF) major in Newhouse. Two years ago, she began to take on a larger role within the Sistersnacking brand. She explained how each of her sister’s have their own responsibilities and she now has an appreciation for being the baby of the family.
“As I got older, I got more and more involved. I now help by utilizing my filming and editing skills. I definitely reap the benefits of being the youngest though; I get to go to exciting meals, meet new people, and spend time with my sisters,” Paperny said.
Her family’s account does not define her future, Paperny noted as she explained that she always wants to be a part of Sistersnacking but she wants to make her own name for herself. While moving her hands expressively, she shared that she wants to use her degree to pave her own path, and if it leads to the world of influencers that's okay.
Julie Silverman, a junior Sociology major and Paperny’s roommate, said that when the pair first met in a random dorm their freshman year at Syracuse she was automatically impressed by Paperny. Silverman started to laugh as she reminisced on the moment their friendship began and explained that Paperny is one the most determined people she knows.
“As Julia’s roommate I see everything. I can see how dedicated she is to her schoolwork, and how she is always trying to better herself, and is an extremely hard worker. When she puts her mind to something, she doesn’t stop until it’s finished,” Silverman said.
Since she is the only sister away at school, Paperny said that she tries to contribute to the accounts as much as possible by reviewing restaurants in Syracuse, and is eager to film content when she’s abroad in Florence next semester.
While in the middle of gushing about the food she wants to try in Italy, Paperny's phone began to ring several times. When she picked it up she saw that it was her family group chat and immediately began to smile.
Paperny said that her love for food began long before her sisters started their influencer journey. For her, it began in her mom’s kitchen.
“For my entire life I’ve watched my mom experiment with recipes, and my family fawn over them. It’s almost as if we are all chemically bonded through our love for food,” Paperny said.
Being in college away from her family has been a large challenge for Paperny. She said that it’s been a difficult adjustment but she never takes for granted the time that she spends at home.
While Paperny was always close with her sisters, now that she's involved with Sistersnacking she feels as if the account gave them an opportunity to bond further.
“To work and do something you love is one thing, but being able to share it with my own siblings is even more rewarding,” Paperny said
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