This Teenage Life

For many of us here at This Teenage Life, Taylor Swift's music puts words to our emotions and helps us feel less alone in the universe. Right before her next big album release, we publish this tribute to how Taylor Swift's songs have changed us.

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 brings you some joy and self-kindness on this World Mental Health Day:) Please spread the love and share the show!

How do you make and keep good friends? Many of us deeply value friendship. Great friends can help us be who we want to be. Yet making real, lasting friends is also something we frequently struggle with. In this episode, we discuss what we do to connect with others and how our frienships have changed over time.     This episode is sponsored by the XQ Institute. Check out the student journalism challenge they're sponsoring, eligible for teen residents of the U.S at:   https://studentjournalismchallenge.org/

Like many transitions, starting a new school year can be stressful. In this episode, we talk about our experiences and the coping strategies we use to feel more comfortable as we go back to school. We have exciting episodes and a newsletter coming out this season. Feel free to make requests for topics or just reach out at team@thisteenagelife.org. This episode is sponsored by the XQ Institute. Check out the student journalism challenge they're sponsoring at studentjournalismchallenge.org

Several months ago we received an email from a listener requesting an episode on sibling dynamics. Here, we discuss just that — our experiences of bickering with our siblings, sharing and not sharing, taking care of them, feeling responsible, and more. From all over the world we have older siblings, younger siblings, middle siblings, twins, and only children, each weighing in on what its like to have (and not have) siblings.

In this episode, some of the teens share about their experiences with therapy and we interview a professional psychologist, Dr. Malika Bhowmik, to explore questions related to therapy, mental health care, and stigmas associated with mental health. We at This Teenage Life are not mental health professionals (we're mostly teens) but below is one resources we think is particularly helpful. https://childmind.org/healthyminds/students/  

Learning to live with pimples isn't easy, especially when society, friends, and family members give us advice how to have clear skin. The reality is, breakouts are natural and mostly out of our control. In this episode of This Teenage Life, we're talking about how we relate to our acne. Big shout out to our new dialogue group who contributed to this episode!

The world is feeling pretty heavy right now so on this episode we bring you some levity: our never-before-published, first two episodes: the first is on superstitions and the other is on what we miss about childhood. 

This episode is about how a trans young man and his mom navigated his coming out and transition. Together, they demonstrate the power of love and communication between a parent and a child. We are grateful to be releasing this episode during LGBTQIA+ pride month.

Our outsides and our insides aren't always aligned. Sometimes we look happy and feel sad. Sometimes we look fine but are struggling with our health. In this episode, we hear from two young people with similar hidden disabilities and how they've managed and remained resilient in the face of their health struggles.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been and continues to be a tragedy with millions of lives lost. It also bas had a big social and emotional impact on us, especially for teens transitioning from middle school to high school or high school to college. As many of us finish up the first full school year back in person, we reflect on how our experiences of the pandemic have affected how we think, feel, and act.

Many of us are very different at home vs. school or when we're with people or by ourselves. In this shorter episode, we hear many perspectives on the differences between our home selves and our school selves.

Friendships during middle and high school are tough. As we change, often our friendships do too. It's easy to think that we are the only ones who feel alone, when the truth is, everyone is trying to figure out who they are and who they connect with. In this episode, we talk about friendship fluctuations — losing friends, making new friends, and how to feel comfortable with ourselves. This episode topic was requested by a listener via email. If you have an episode idea, email us at team@thisteenagelife.org and if you could share the show with friends or via social media and whatsapp status we'd appreciate it! 

In classes at school, students are often expected to learn the same thing at the same time. An emphasis on information transmission and uniformity can lead to disengagement. What would it look like if school learning felt more engaging, meaningful, relevant, and authentic? What and how would teens want to learn? In this episode, we're hearing from young people about how and what they wish they learned in school. This episode is sponsored by the XQ institute. Check them out  at XQ Super School and follow XQ America on TikTok and on Instagram to share your experience as a student and change what learning looks like.

In this 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 struggling with this, here are some resources:  US National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255 Resources in India: http://www.aasra.info/helpline.html

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. It can help us feel less alone in the world. On Earth Day 2022, we spoke with author and naturalist Sy Montgomery about forming deep relationships with animals and how getting to know animals can change us.

How can teachers connect with teens not just as students, but as whole humans and unique individuals? How does this help them learn? In this episode, we talk about what teachers can do to build trust and authentic relationships with students. This episode is sponsored by the XQ institute, the nation's leading organization dedicated to rethinking the high school experience so that every student graduates ready to succeed in college, career, and life. Check them out at xqsuperschool.org

When we're bored, feeling lonely, or just engaging in our imaginations, many of us give life to fabricated scenarios, invisible friends, and fictional crushes. In this episode, we're talking about the invisible people in our invisible worlds who might not be real to outsiders but who can be very helpful to us.

Is the idea of productivity helpful? Harmful? How does it affect our mental health and well-being? In this episode, we talk about the idea of productivity and how it affects our inner monologues.

Black History Month might be coming to an end, but that doesn't mean we should stop thinking about Black history. In this announcement, we reflect on the end of this month and how we carry the Black History Month with us every month.