If you haven’t yet, meet your new favorite influencer: Eli Rallo. An American Girl Doll-obsessed, breast reduction-discussing proponent of abolishing greek life, Rallo’s persona is far from the impersonal reputation content creators tend to amass. If you still need proof that she’s anything but basic, picture this— when she returns to Ann Arbor, her former college town, Rallo opts for bright pink Michigan gear instead of the classic maize and blue.
A 2020 graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theater, & Dance, Rallo gained her initial fame on TikTok by filling gallon-sized jars with a variety of snacks over quarantine. Her videos earned thousands of views and her title, TheJarr, was born. As her following became fascinated with the face behind the food, Rallo’s content transitioned to feature more personal matters. Two years after her TikTok career began, the 23-year-old New Jersey native has turned her fans into a community and her platform into a space for honest, yet funny advice about everything a twenty-something-year-old needs to know.
With over 510k followers on TikTok and 50k on Instagram, Rallo now works as a full-time social media content creator, podcast host, and freelance writer. She’s joining the ranks of well-known U-M alumni as evident by her invitation to speak at the TEDxUofM conference in February.
In an interview, Rallo told me about her untraditional journey to popularity. It all began here at the University of Michigan. With a theater art major and playwriting, creative writing, and political science minors, she sprawled across all facets of a Michigan education. Despite her academic involvement, Rallo said her real learning took place outside of the classroom.
“The most formative things at Michigan were really my experiences,” Rallo said. “Those outside-the-classroom opportunities to me were, without a shadow of a doubt, the most affirming parts of my college career.”
Rallo definitely took advantage of outside-the-classroom opportunities. She spent her four years writing for various publications including HerCampus, producing theater performances, running a marathon, waitressing, and even interning on Broadway. At this point, you’re probably wondering how she managed to participate in so many activities while still being a full-time student. Her answer is one we know all too well: skipping class.
“I was pretty bad at going to class,” Rallo said. “Unless there was mandatory attendance, I was doing the work but using the time for my clubs, writing, and personal life. I realized early on that it wasn’t the classes that particularly impacted me, but rather everything I was doing outside of them.”
One of Rallo’s most unique and well-known traits, her authenticity, also developed during her time at Michigan. Her personal experiences in college heavily shaped the content she now creates. When she answers hundreds of “ask me anything” questions from Instagram followers about sex or shares real stories about friendships on her podcast, she incorporates lessons learned in Ann Arbor.
“My current outlook on life, the way that I act and relate to the world, and what I post on social media, is a product of everything I’ve experienced, especially my time at Michigan,” Rallo said. “By my senior year, I was more independent, self-reliant, and confident. When I came to Michigan, though, I was really focused heavily on male affirmation and validation, which is really sad. Had I not had those experiences in college, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”
And the person she is today continues to grow more popular. With an upcoming book about dating and relationships, new content, and expanding partnerships, Rallo is confident that she will continue to apply takeaways from her Michigan experience. With a large fanbase of Wolverines, Rallo presents an important lesson that we can all learn from: the Michigan difference is outside of the classroom.