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 idea of best friends, how we relate to this idea, stories about changing relationships, navigating changing relationships, and reflect on our feelings about friendships and how they affect us....
Jul 15, 2025•28 min•Season 7Ep. 34
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 childhood dreams? How do we process that life is less linear than we imagined? In this episode of This Teenage Life, the teens talk about the anticipation of moving from high school to college and beyond. They g...
Jul 15, 2025•18 min•Season 7Ep. 33
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 codingthefuture101@gmail.com This Teenage Life will also be running some fun and creative clubs and workshops this summer. If you're interested in learning more, email us at team@thisteenagelife.org ....
Jun 05, 2025•15 min•Season 7Ep. 32
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 out here on Spotify or Apple Podcasts ....
Jun 01, 2025•27 min•Season 7Ep. 31
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 during this Mental Health Month:) Please spread the love and share the show, subscribe, and, if you like the show, give us a 5-star review!
May 12, 2025•21 min•Season 7Ep. 30
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 hard experiences and move forward in ways that deepen our connections with ourselves and each other. In this episode, teens share their stories and we hear from Dr. Taryn Greene, a research psychologist ...
Apr 26, 2025•20 min•Season 7Ep. 29
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 experiences of diet culture and then share how they've worked to develop more positive associations with food and shared meals. In conversation with registered dietitian and program manager of ASU's Health L...
Apr 12, 2025•26 min•Season 7Ep. 28
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.
Apr 01, 2025•13 min•Season 7Ep. 27
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.
Mar 19, 2025•12 min•Season 7Ep. 26
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, take a listen to our playlist on Spotify: This Teenage Life: Music We Love...
Mar 12, 2025•21 min•Season 7Ep. 25
In this throwback episode, we talk about our experiences of academic pressure and academic validation and how it makes us feel.
Mar 05, 2025•23 min•Season 7Ep. 24
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!
Feb 27, 2025•21 min•Season 7Ep. 23
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 how where they live impacts the way they connect with the natural world, how it feels when they do, and the impact of using nature to disconnect from the day to day grind.
Feb 12, 2025•16 min•Season 7Ep. 22
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.
Feb 07, 2025•1 min•Season 7Ep. 21
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?
Feb 05, 2025•25 min•Season 7Ep. 20
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 muchness,” how it feels, and where we think it comes from. If you are looking to join a community that will embrace you for who you are, please consider joining one of our new dialogue groups! We would love t...
Jan 29, 2025•11 min•Season 7Ep. 19
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 looking to add comfort to your life, please consider joining one of our new dialogue groups! We would love to get to know you and provide a warm, supportive environment to connect with other young people. Send...
Jan 24, 2025•14 min•Season 7Ep. 18
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 embarrassed and share their favorite stories. What does it feel like? What about those painfully awkward moments? How can we move on?
Jan 15, 2025•24 min•Season 7Ep. 17
Sending our support to our friends affected by the wildfires in Los Angeles. We are here for you.
Jan 13, 2025•1 min•Season 7Ep. 16
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.
Dec 25, 2024•16 min•Season 7Ep. 15
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 - financial aid, social comparison, finding support, and advice that helped them.
Dec 16, 2024•22 min•Season 7Ep. 14
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 talk with young men about masculinity, vulnerability, and close relationships. We also interview Dr. Niobe Way, a developmental psychologist and author, about her research into "boy culture," friendship...
Dec 10, 2024•19 min•Season 7Ep. 13
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 masculinity. We also interview Dr. Ben Harris, a clinical psychologist, about his experiences working with adolescent boys and how he fosters connection through group therapy. We hope this episode works to...
Nov 29, 2024•18 min•Season 7Ep. 12
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 baking, kitchen disasters, holiday traditions, and meals that bring comfort. We are also joined by Sarah Clapp, a producer from Milk Street Radio, who discusses what its like having a career in the culinary ar...
Nov 22, 2024•23 min•Season 7Ep. 11
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 "failed," and explore how they cultivate resilience in their lives.
Nov 11, 2024•20 min•Season 7Ep. 10
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 way, and why contribution matters. Thank you to the Purpose Commons , a project incubated by Hopelab , for sponsoring this episode. The Purpose Commons is a dynamic learning network where collaborators...
Oct 29, 2024•26 min•Season 7Ep. 9
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.
Oct 24, 2024•9 min•Season 7Ep. 8
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 co-created an interfaith club at their school, which centers dialogue, storytelling, and empathy. Thank you to Easha and Daniel for you're work, and to Facing History and Ourselves for your support.
Oct 16, 2024•20 min•Season 7Ep. 7
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 their experiences of these pressures, and then we hear from researchers from the Center for Digital Thriving, Common Sense Media, and Indiana University about teen feelings of pressure and burnout on a n...
Oct 10, 2024•35 min•Season 7Ep. 6
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 many benefits of cultivating senses of purpose. You can learn more about Dr. Burrows work here . Thank you to the Purpose Commons , a project of Hopelab , for sponsoring this episode. The Purpose Commons i...
Oct 07, 2024•30 min•Season 7Ep. 5
