This Teenage Life
by This Teenage Life
This Teenage Life is a podcast made by teens about their ideas, stories, and unique perspectives in the middle of their own growth as humans. Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], we love hearing from listeners.
Episodes
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A Look Behind the Scenes into Finding Meaningful Work: In Conversation with Rei and Ricky Bertoldi and Hannah Testa
This episode highlights two conversations had in the process of making "Finding Meaningful Work: Navigating Pressures Around Chosen Career Paths and Finding Joy in the Process," with Rei and Ricky, sisters who work in the environmental science and policy field and Hannah Testa, a youth activist…
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Navigating Pressures Around Chosen Career Paths and Finding Joy in the Process
As a young person, it is okay to not know what you want to do. There is a lot of pressure placed on teenagers to know what they want their careers to look like, but how does one know what they want to do, and how they want to do it? In this episode of This Teenage Life, Stella, Jayden and Lydia...
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Throwback Episode: Grappling With Loss
In this re-released episode, Stella shares her experiences processing the loss of her Dad. She explores societal expectations of closure and how they diverge from her own understandings of loss and ambiguity. Trigger warning— this episode references suicide. If you or anyone you know is…
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Throwback Episode: Daydreams
In this re-released episode, the teens chat with Aleeza and Fonzo, the hosts of The Moth's teen podcast, Grown — here on Apple podcasts and Spotify. They discuss their daydreams, hopes, and anxieties about growing up and becoming people they want to be.
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Throwback Episode: Coming Out Story
This week, we're re-releasing an episode about a trans young man and his mom navigating his coming out and transition. Together, they demonstrate the power of love and communication between a parent and a child.
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Throwback Episode: Eco-Anxiety and Optimism
This week, we have another thrownack episode for you: All about climate and eco-anxiety. The teens discuss their grief about the climate emergency and other environmental crises. They then talk about transforming their feelings into shared action.
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Throwback Episode: We Are Not Alone: Connecting with Animals & Ourselves
This week, we're re-releasing our 2022 interview with author and naturalist Sy Montgomery. Life can feel especially lonely if you think humans are the only creatures on this planet. Getting close to animals and the natural world can help us connect with ourselves and each other. On Earth Day…
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Throwback Episode: Parents Are People Too
Today, we're throwing it back to a Season 1 of This Teenage Life with a re-release of the episode "Parents Are People Too." As kids, it's often hard to see that parents are not just parents. They're human beings who have their own needs, emotions, styles, fragilities, crushes, etc. In this…
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Independence
In this episode of This Teenage Life, teens discuss what independence means to them: how they discover it, the challenges of balancing freedom with still being a "kid," and how their sense of independence evolves from high school to college.
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Creating Authentic Friendships
It can be challenging to navigate between being yourself and trying to fit in. It can feel vulnerable to express enthusiasm yet nonchalence can get in the way of making true friendships. How do we create honest and authentic friendships with other people? What has worked or not worked for us in…
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Turning Interests into Community, Work, and Purpose
Josie Kim is a teenager, a hockey player, and great sports photographer. In high school, she learned to use a camera to engage with her love of sports in new ways that allow her to connect with people and even get paying jobs. In this episode you'll hear an interview with Josie and learn about…
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Feeling Stupid
"Why can't I get this?! I feel so dumb! Am I behind? Why is everyone else understanding this when I'm not?" These are common questions all of us at This Teenage Life have felt at some point, especially after taking certain tests. In this episode, we talk about situations—mostly academic—where we...
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Negative Thoughts
In this episode of This Teenage Life, the teens open up about their experiences with negative thoughts, anxiety, and stress spirals. Through conversations about their inner struggles, they share coping strategies and practices that help them move out of negative headspaces.
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Teen Authors and Publishing
In this episode of This Teenage Life, we hear from teens who have published their stories with Novelly, a platform amplifying teen voices. We hear about what it means to be a writer, and the powerful possibilities of storytelling. If you're interested in reading awesome teen authors or becoming a...
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Movement and Mental Health
Welcome to the first episode of Season 8 of This Teenage Life! The teens discuss their relationships with exercise: Where are the lines between healthy and unhealthy habits? How can an accountability buddy make it easier to find practices you enjoy? We also hear from Kristin Hoffner, a…
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Best Friendships: Ups, Downs, and More
Many of us spend a lot of time worrying, thinking about, and navigating expectations about our friendships. Wondering "How close are we really? Do we call ourselves "best friends" yet?" Do we need to have a "best friend" to have meaningful relationships, anyway? In this episode, we explore the…
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Grappling with Life's Nonlinearity
One of the biggest pressures of getting older is the idea of having to "figure things out" by yourself. How do we navigate the pressure to "know what we're doing" while also being flexible and open to new things? How do we process the reality that life might turn out differently from our…
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Coding the Future
Looking for a free, youth-run summer opportunity? Check out Coding the Future, a free, virtual, personalized program run by teens that helps other young people learn how to code. You can also email them at [email protected] This Teenage Life will also be running some fun and creative...
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Throwback Episode — Periods 2.0
Throwback episode on a popular topic...periods! In this episodes, teens share stories and reflections on getting their periods for the first time, navigating the logistics and their feelings about periods, and working to destigmatize menstruation. To hear our first episode on periods, check it…
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Throwback Episode — Self Care
In this episode, we reflect on the idea of self care and the many ways we take care of ourselves without expensive products and "glow ups." We compare fancy routines and performances of self care on the internet with everyday actions we take to feel well-regulated and whole. We hope this episode...
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Posttraumatic Growth
Grief, adversity, and trauma are common, formative human experiences that people move through and grow from. Yet, we often avoid talking about this process, making it harder to understand how people make meaning from grief. Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) offers us a paradigm for how to make sense of...
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Moving Past Diet Culture & Towards Real Nutrition
How does diet culture negatively affect us? How does what we see on social media impact how we feel about what we eat? How do we move past diet culture towards more healthy relationships with food? In this episode, we develop more holistic framings of nutrition. Teens describe their negative...
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Throwback Episode — Body + Beauty Insecurities
Clear skin, "feminine features," "snatched bodies," — we're often taught to associate our self worth with how we line up with societal expectations about beauty. In this throwback episode, we speak openly and honestly about our body insecurities, where they come from, and how we are working on them.
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Throwback Episode — Parents Are People Too
As kids, it's often hard to see that parents are not just parents. They're human beings who have their own needs, emotions, styles, fragilities, crushes, etc. In this re-release of one of our favorite episodes, we talk about moments when we began to discover that parents are, in fact, people too.
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Music Nostalgia
As we evolve as people, so does our relationship to music. In this episode, the teens discuss their own musical journeys - how their taste has changed, live music they've experienced, favorite songs, and how music helps build connection. To check out what our community is listening to these days,...
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Throwback Episode — Academic Pressure
In this throwback episode, we talk about our experiences of academic pressure and academic validation and how it makes us feel.
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Teeth
In this episode requested by listeners, the teens chat all about teeth! What its like to get braces, teeth insecurities, dentist stories, interesting rituals, and more. Even though we all have teeth, there are a variety of different experiences that come with that!
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Connecting With Nature
Connecting with the natural world can bring about a spectrum of feelings, especially after spending most of the day inside at school or work. Even though it can be such a grounding and energizing experience, many of us struggle to find time to get outside. In this episode, the teens chat about…
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Apply to the National Contribution Project!
We are excited to announce that for folks age 14-25 living in the United States, you are eligible to participate in this next round of the National Contribution Project. Learn more and apply at www.contributionproject.org/national. Applications are due February 21st.
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Friend Breakups 2
In this "part 2" of our episodes on friend breakups, the teens explore the emotional dimensions of losing friends. How does it feel to be distant from someone you used to be so close to? What can we do to get closure at the end of a relationship? How can we heal emotionally?
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Throwback Episode — Too Muchness
Here at This Teenage Life, we've uncovered a phenomenon called "too muchness." It's a fear of being "too much" that can lead to self policing that holds us back from being our authentic selves. In this re-release of one of our favorite episodes, we talk about our fears and critiques of "too...
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Throwback Episode — Comfort
It's a tough time. Fires. Political turmoil. When we're at home and feeling sad, angry, or anxious, what are some strategies we use to comfort ourselves? In this re-release of one of our favorite episodes of This Teenage Life, we discuss what we do to make ourselves feel better. If you are…
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Processing Embarrassment
Even though we all experience it, embarrassment is not a fun feeling. For some folks, they just want to disappear. For others, the embarrassment continues long after the moment is over, as they relive the event in their heads. In this episode, the teens discuss how they deal with being…
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To Our Friends Affected by the LA Wildfires
Sending our support to our friends affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles. We are here for you.
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Moving On
As a teenager, it can feel like you are constantly moving on from things - hobbies, friends, schools, ways of thinking, and more. This can be exciting, but also sad or confusing. In this episode, the teens discuss things they've had to move on from and the emotional dimensions of the process.
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Navigating College Applications
For folks applying to college in the United States, applications are almost due! This time can feel incredibly stressful and overwhelming, but having conversations with peers going through the same thing can help. In today's episode, the teens discuss various aspects of college applications -...
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"Boy" Culture and Friendship
Cultivating friendships and authentic connection can serve as an antidote to loneliness and mental health challenges. How can we harness these skills in a society that prioritizes independence and rising to the top? In this episode, sponsored by Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University, we...
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Exploring Masculinity and Mental Health
Mental health stigma remains a major issue in combating loneliness and the mental health crisis, and research shows that men are significantly less likely to seek help. In this episode, sponsored by Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University, we talk with young men about mental health and...
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Cooking, Baking, & Beyond
Cooking, baking, and consuming delicious meals can be incredibly fulfilling acitvities, especially when they are shared with loved ones. To celebrate Thanksgiving next week in the United States, this episode is all about food. Our teen participants discuss their relationships to cooking or…
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Grappling With Failure
Everyone experiences failure at some point in their life, but it can be difficult to talk about. Failure can make a person feel uncomfortable, or angry, or full of self-doubt. In this episode, This Teenage Life participants discuss what they think failure is, share stories of times they have...
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Engaging In Purposeful Projects
In this episode, we chat with folks who have recently engaged in The National Contribution Project, a nationwide initiative where young people affiliated with partner organizations get funded to pursue projects that matter to them. We learn about the projects people chose, how they felt along the...
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TTL Talks: Jacquie
In this new series, we chat with individual TTL participants about their life as a teenager in this exact moment. This episode features Jacquie, a teen in Zimbabwe, as she discusses new advocacy opportunities, difficult situations at school, public speaking and more.
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Interfaith Club
With unfolding conflicts throughout the world and increasing polarization throughout the U.S., questions of how to engage in dialogue and connect across differences, become increasingly important. In this episode, you hear from two teens, Easha and Daniel, who have forged a deep friendship and...
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Grind Culture: Productivity Pressures, Social Media, and Burnout
On this World Mental Health Day, a groundbreaking study has been published about how social media intersects with various pressures teens feel (e.g. the pressure to have a game plan, to achieve, to be good friends, to look certain ways, etc.). In this episode, we hear from teens themselves about...
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Cultivating A Sense of Purpose
In this episode, the teens describe moments when they feel purposeful and their understandings of the idea of purpose. We speak with Dr. Tony Burrow, a professor who studies purpose and researches the health benefits of purpose. Through his research, Dr. Burrow helps us reframe and examine the…
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Thoughts On Creative Careers
In a world with so much pressure to excel academically, make family proud, and maintain financial stabiliity, it can feel difficult to pursue creative passions. These passions often get pushed aside as school and career planning takes over. But what if creativity is part of your job? In this...
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Teenage Bucket List
Many of us grew up consuming tv, movies, or social media that portrayed teenagehood in a very specific way - parties, sweet 16 birthdays, first kisses, drivers licenses, sleepovers, and more! There can be pressure to do all these things while still a teenager, but is this realistic? In this...
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TTL Talks: Saniya
In this new series, we chat with individual TTL participants about their life as a teenager in this exact moment. This episode features Saniya, a 16 year old from Canada, as she discusses familial pressures, starting her junior year of high school, racial dynamics in her city, pursuing soccer…
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Adulting After High School
Graduating from high school is an exciting milestone to celebrate, but it can also be overwhelming! No matter what path you take, there are so many new unique challenges to face like homesickness, "adulting" tasks, and building new relationships. In this episode, some of our participants in India...
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"Bird Nerd"
Finding your thing, your passion, your hobby — it's something so many teens and adults seek. Ellie, a teen based in New York City, was drawn to birds from a young age. Her interest has since blossomed into a much greater pursuit. In this episode of TTL, we dive with Ellie into her bird world. We...
About this show
This Teenage Life is a podcast made by teens about their ideas, stories, and unique perspectives in the middle of their own growth as humans. Please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected], we love hearing from listeners.
Hosted by
This Teenage Life