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Applying to college in the U.S. is an multi-step, often emotional process. It can be challenging to write personal essays that construct neat narratives. And while we often try our best to get accepted to universities we like and can afford, for many of us, the college application process involves our first explicit experience of rejection and reframing of back-up options as opportunities. In this episode, teens from This Teenage Life talk about their experiences of the college application process, and contributors in college talk about their transition from high school to college. This episode is sponsored by the XQ institute. Check them out at xqsuperschool.org. If you're a student, or even a teacher who may be listening to better understand your students, you can join the conversation at XQ America on social.

Many of us struggle with social awkwardness and anxiety about social interactions. In this episode, inspired by listener emails, we discuss our relationship to social anxiety and how we deal with it.

Growing up can be confusing. It's easy to look to the past or future and fantasize about "when we all had it figured out." But for many of us, looking back can feel bittersweet, especially when we think of the "simplicity" of being a kid.  In this episode of This Teeange Life, we talk about our nuanced relationships with nostalgia.

This Teenage Life currently has four dialogue groups. This May we want to start a group specifically focusing on teens (ages 13-19) who identify as boys since most people in our other groups identify as girls. We’ll be running it with actor Sullivan (Matt) Jones. If you want to join, email us at team@thisteenagelife.org FYI, we're starting a new dialogue group for everyone this summer. So if you're interested, just reach out:)

For many of us, writing is an outlet — a way to create and access other worlds or express our feelings. On this episode, we're exploring our relationships to journaling and how it helps us be ourselves.

This Teenage Life has teen contributors from dozens of countries. While we may have different languages and cultures, we've all had the experience of feeling excluded. In this episode, teens from across the world share their reflections on  navigating cliques and popularity. 

After many emails from listeners requesting an episode on music, we've finally made one about the songs we're listening to and what they mean to us. The episode shares our reflections. The link below is the playlist with the tunes:) https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2LdkRdV7l4d7dhb91uwRNl?si=256363b25c2b46d9&nd=1

When you're in middle or high school, dress code can be a big part of your life. It can free you from thinking about what you have to wear, or it can make you incredibly self-conscious about your body. In this week's episode, we talk about our experiences of dealing with dress codes and how they make us feel.

Many of us have or want adult in our lives who make us feel safe, seen, and heard. When teachers take the time to get to know us, they often transcend their role as subject guides and become more like life mentors. In this epsiode, we discuss how teachers can be open and make us feel safe while also being professional. This episode is sponsored by the XQ institute. Check them out at xqsuperschool.org. If you're a student, or even a teacher who may be listening to better understand your students, you can join the conversation at XQ America on social.

What does it mean to be a feminist? How can men support the feminist movement? Can men be feminists? In this episode, 17-year-old Stella,  explores these questions. She interviews three men about their relationship with feminism and masculinity in an effort to investigate and solidify her own relationship with feminism. Music Attribution: Spleen & Senegal by Le Chaos Entre Deux Chaises via Creative Commons.

Hobbies and passion projects are not only fun, they're powerful. They can restore us and serve as outlets for stress relief and creative expression. In this episode of This Teenage Life we share our diversity of hobbies and how they help us.  If you have any ideas for episodes or just want to reach out and say hi, feel free to email us at team@thisteenagelife.org.

On this episode, we reflect on the past year, using one word to sum it up — a great idea from one of the teens. Then, we set intentions for our next revolution around the sun together:) We are so grateful to have you as a listener and, as always, love hearing from you. Feel free to reach out and say hi or share your ideas for episodes at team@thisteenagelife.org. Happy New Year from the This Teenage Life team and talk to you in 2023!

In this episode, some of the teens share about their adventures in the theater. We discuss what it feels like to perform onstage, different lessons learned from theater, and what makes the theater community so special. We also chat with professional actor, Sullivan Jones, about his experience working in the industry. 

In this episode we talk about our experiences of academic pressure and academic validation and how it makes us feel.   This episode is sponsored by the XQ Institute. Check out their journalism challenge for 13-18 year olds based in the U.S. at: https://xqsuperschool.org/rethinktogether/2022-student-journalism-challenge/

In this episode that (inspired by a listener), we discuss what it has meant to us to find our style — how it can be connected with self expression and our own relationship to our values and our identities.

Thoughts are just thoughts. They're not "real." But the meaning we make of them and power we give them can cause them to feel much bigger and more powerful than "just thoughts."  In this episode, we talk about our own experiences of overthinking and intrusive thoughts, and how we can change our interpretations of them to give them less power. Some resources on overthinking & intrusive thoughts: https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-kids-worried-about-bad-thoughts/ https://childmind.org/guide/anxiety-in-children-quick-guide/  

This week, we talk to licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Naomi Dambreville, about how to think about and understand overthinking and intrusive thoughts. 

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/