But to get there, you have to spend time doing so before it happens.

Which means you have to watch many videos where somebody is explaining their school day or reacting to a movie trailer before you get to that point.

Indeed, which is exactly what these creators do. I've watched a few of their videos before and I can't get over how...mundane their content is. There really is nothing of actual substance there. But I assume watching more of that content over time cultivates the same feeling as bullshitting with your friends, hence the parasocial relationship forms.

For me, it's just low effort entertainment. Like I don't enjoy talking with people, but it's kinda nice to have someone talk in the background to remind me that I'm not the only human alive.

I'm in my thirties though, these parasocial teenagers might be less jaded then I am.