This Teenage Life

Access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world is still unequal and that needs to change. But in the US, despite the spread of some misinformation, vaccination has continued. Excitingly, sometime this week, 12-15 year-olds are set to be approved to receive COVID-19 vaccines. In this episode, we explore our feelings about differences in vaccination status between already-vaccinated older teens vs. younger ones and we interview biologist, Dr. Lillian Cohn to answer some questions we have about COVID-19 and the vaccine. Here are some RESOURCES if you want to learn more about COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccines. Links to Articles: Articles from KidsHealth FAQ from the CDC Myths and Facts about the vaccine from the CDC Some explanatory videos: How COVID-19 makes you sick What is a vaccine — a broad overview COVID-19 Vaccine Explained by VOX

Sending our support to our listeners in India, given the dire Covid-19 situation there.

In this episode, we explore the question "what do you want to be when you grow up?", and share the anxieties it evokes in us.

It has been just over a year since our quarantining and social distancing began on March 13th, 2020. We have experienced feelings of grief, loss, isolation, and now — with vaccines coming out — some hope. In this episode, we combine conversations from over the past few months with journal entries to reflect on our first year experiencing a global pandemic.

Because of the pandemic, we're no longer waking up and getting ready to go to school in the same way. What do we do instead? In this episode of This Teenage Life, which was inspired by a listener from Missouri, we talk about our morning routines.

There are all these weird implicit social rules while texting. Should I add an exclamation mark? What does their "ha" mean? In this episode of This Teenage Life, we explain some of the norms we abide by while texting.

Casual interactions are harder to come by in COVID. In this conversation, we talk about struggling to maintain friendships and struggling with ways to reach out to other people.

Hair can be a huge part of our cultural identities and sense of ourselves. However, as authentic, inner confidence grows, it can also become less important to us. In this episode, Cami and her mom reflect on hair loss and the connection between hair, race, and culture. Their conversation, while ostensibly about hair, also reveals a lot about the admiration and love between a mother and a daughter.

There's so much tied up in hair - cultural significance, identity expression, and more. On this week's episode of This Teenage Life, we're talking about our experiences with our hair.

We might be stuck inside during a global pandemic, but in our heads, we're going places. We're rockstars, comedians, novelists, and boxers. In this episode of this Teenage Life, we discuss feelings of burn out and where we go to escape those feelings: our daydreams.

We cherish connection but in the pandemic, we're struggling to foster the kind of closeness that comes from casual interactions with people. In this episode, we talk about our feelings of disconnection and how we're trying to reach out and reconnect.

Today was a historically jarring and upsetting day — a mob raided and vandalized the U.S. Capitol. This isn't a normal episode. We made it in the last few hours and it's several of us processing our feelings and the surreal nature of today, trying to make sense of it all.

It's a particularly weird holiday season. A lot of us are feeling particularly isolated right now. In this episode, we talk about our feelings of loneliness — when we feel lonely and what we do when we get these feelings. Also, we'd love to expand creative communities like ours. We're thinking of starting a listener-based This Teenage Life club. Email us at [email protected] if you're interested in joining:)

Clear skin, slim thick bodies — we're often taught to associate our self worth with how we line up with societal expectations about beauty. In this episode, we speak openly and honestly about our body insecurities, where they come from, and how we are working on them. Below are awesome resources that help to cultivate more self-love. Here's: A video and article about what body positivity is. An incredible video by Dove that shows how the beauty industry sets completely unrealistic expectations about bodies. A This Teenage Life blog post about acne and an article about acne positivity.

It can happen when you're filling out a form or checking out at the grocery store: an imposter-syndrome feeling that occurs when you're doing something "adult, while inside, you're still feeling like a total child. On this episode of This Teenage Life, we talk about feeling like awkward "pretend adults."

What does it mean to reach across the aisle and try to understand "the other side?" In this post-2020 election episode, we hear from two young people who founded a company called Civil Tea that's working to bring young people together to engage in dialogue.

We're on edge. It's a historic election, an extremely divisive moment in US history, there's a pandemic and a climate emergency. We have all kinds of feelings as election day approaches. On this episode of This Teenage Life, we talk about our feelings about the 2020 presidential election.

Structural oppression is just that: structural. So without structural change, can our actions make a difference? In this episode, we discuss individual approaches to allyship and how these practices connect with our desires for a more just society.

Trader Joe's meatballs in marinara sauce. Frozen grapes. Jalapeno chips. In this episode, we take a break from heaviness and talk about our favorite snacks.

Climate change is the biggest issue facing our world today, and has a special significance for young people as the generations most in need of change yet often without the opportunities to make change. In today's episode, Molly and Olivia discuss climate change from a young person's perspective.

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 episode, we talk about our fears and critiques of "too muchness," how it feels, and where we think it comes from.

It's a tough time. Fires. A pandemic. Political turmoil. When we're at home and feeling sad, angry, or anxious, what are some strategies we use to comfort ourselves? In this episode of This Teenage Life, we discuss what we do to make ourselves feel better.

Right now, many students and teachers are going "back to school," which looks very different this year. Many people will be experiencing school remotely, including us here at This Teenage Life. In this episode, we discuss our thoughts about remote learning, and explore our ideal scenarios for remote projects.

This Teenage Life is excited to announce our 10 for a Tee Challenge! If you can get 10 people to rate and subscribe to TTL, then we'll send you a limited edition This Teenage Life T-Shirt (or sticker, if you live internationally). In this episode, you'll hear all the details of the challenge. Thank you so much for listening to This Teenage Life, your support means a lot to us.

This episode was made in collaboration with a group of teens in Kabul, Afghanistan. Together teens in Kabul and California talk about times when they've "talked back," and stood up for what they believe.

This episode was made in collaboration with a group of teens in Kabul, Afghanistan. Together teens in Kabul and California talk about beauty standards and moments when they feel empowered and beautiful.

This episode was made in collaboration with a group of teens in Kabul, Afghanistan. Together teens in Kabul and California talk about perseverance and times when they overcame societal expectations that got in the way of their goals.

Periods can be a sensitive subject. But at This Teenage Life we approach periods, and hopefully all things, with openness and curiosity. In this episode, we talk about our experiences of menstruation and our perception of periods.

In this episode of This Teenage Life, we talk about the phenomena of cancel culture on the internet and share our critiques and reflections.

It's hard to replicate real life behind a screen. In quarantine, we've been trying to be ourselves and stay in touch with friends, but it's challenging. As we end school and move into summer vacation, we've been learning a lot about ourselves, the things we're struggling with, and the things we miss. In this episode, we give an update on our experiences being quarantined.

After 400 years of oppression and the brutal murder of George Floyd, the Black Lives Matter movement has swept the nation bringing people to demand an end to racist policing. In this episode, we share our feelings on the recent events and how they have impacted us. To all our black listeners: We stand with you and we love you. Antiracism Resources: bit.ly/ANTIRACISMRESOURCES Books related to antiracism: White Fragility, link by Robin Diangelo, Michael Eric DysonMe and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad How to be an Antiracist, link by Ibram X. Kendi Bad Feminist, link by Roxane Gay Related petitions you can sign (takes less than a minute): https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor https://www.change.org/p/glynn-county-distric-attorney-justice-for-ahmaud-arbery A youtube video that has ~1 hr of music and art from black creators — the ads (don't skip them!) generate revenue and are donated to a variety of different organizations. it's a great way to donate money if you don't have money: https://youtu.be/bCgLa25fDHM Black-owned Businesses: Some can be found at https://nymag.com/strategist/article/black-owned-businesses-support-shop.html

Not all of us have a fur baby to cuddle up next to, but for those who do or have had one, I think we can say with certainty that they cause immense joy. During these times where we are spending more time at home, we get to be with them for a lot longer. Sometimes they love that, but some of them might get annoyed. In this episode we take a dive into our relationships with our pets from the past and present and how they are like a family member, vital to our changing realities.

During these times, many teenagers are stuck at home with their parents — for better or for worse. In today's episode, Olivia has a conversation with her mom about their relationship, motherhood, and what it means to be a mom during this pandemic.

Adolescence can be messy. 13 is a particularly challenging time — friend groups can be tricky, puberty can be disorienting, and in general, at 13, a lot of people seem to feel insecure about belonging. In this episode, we talk about our experiences being 13.

We only know the voices in our own heads. But most people have some kind of inner monologue. Sometimes our inner monologue can go in circles or be negative, especially when we're alone. And we're alone a lot more these days. In this episode, we share what our inner monologues sound like, and what we do when we want to shift from being negative to having a more positive outlook on the world.

As the routines of our lives shift and we confront the reality of spending weeks, if not months, at home, we talk about how we grapple with and experience boredom and how we use it to start new hobbies and develop new creative projects.

Kindness matters, especially during this dark time, even if what you're doing doesn't seem like a big deal. In this episode, we talk about small acts of kindness that we've noticed recently and how they've affected us.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic. We're grateful to be healthy, and are also grappling with staying at home, without school or social interaction with friends. In this episode, we video-chatted to talk about how our thoughts and experiences of COVID-19 have unfolded thus far.

Have you ever wondered what you'll think of yourself when you look back on your teenage years? In this episode, we hear stories from young(ish) adults in their 30s reflecting on their teenage lives.

Moving from one country to another can be especially difficult. It can be hard to grasp the nuances of a new culture and you're often misunderstood. In our final episode of our moving series, we hear stories of international moves.

In this episode of our moving series, we hear stories about how people have adjusted or are currently coming to terms with living in a new place.

This is the first episode in our multi-part series about moving. In Part 1, a young woman shares her story of choosing her own path, moving 300 miles away from her home.

Sometimes we're overly self-conscious about how we're seen by other people. In this episode, we explore how we change our behavior when we want other people to like us.

In high school, exploring your gender identity and sexual orientation can be a part of constructing your identity. In this episode, we discuss our experiences with queerness.

Do you believe in love? Have you ever been in love? How do you feel about having a romantic relationship in high school? In this episode of This Teenage Life, we talk about love.

Sometimes parents make stuff up. This is especially the case when we're little. From Santa to where babies come from, in this episode, we share stories about the lies parents told us as kids.

What is adulthood? The idea of becoming an adult is exciting, but also scary. On this episode of This Teenage Life, we discuss our fears about adulthood.

When we're awake, we may not be aware of the strange and surreal worlds in our minds. When we're asleep, they come alive. In this episode, we share stories of odd dreams that continue to haunt us.

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 episode, we talk about moments when we began to discover that parents are, in fact, people too.

There are times when you feel powerful, and times when you feel like you've lost your power. This episode is about small moments experienced by a group of teenage women; times when they felt like badasses, and others when they felt just the opposite.