This Teenage Life (This Teenage Life)

This week's episode is 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. 

Thank you to UNICEF USA and Anya Kamenetz. Look out for a future episode about young climate innovators and their inspiring solutions.

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.

Our hearts are broken for those affected by the conflict and violence going on in the Middle East right now.

We call to TTL community members to be the peace and humanity the world desparately needs.

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 is a dynamic learning network where collaborators across the youth development ecosystem work together on projects that put the science of purpose to work for young people.

Over the summer, we have the opportunity to dig into books that reflect our tastes, interests, and which transport us to other worlds. In this episode, we explore how we choose summer reading books, what we like to read over the summer, how this reading can be different from assigned reading, and how reading for pleasure can change us. 

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 media.

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.

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 episode, the teens share their thoughts on favorite creative practices, how that's changed as they've gotten older, and whether or not they plan to pursue their creative passions in the future. We also chat with Peter Ha, a graphic designer in Canada, about what its like to pursue a creative career. He shares his journey of getting into the design field, thoughts on external pressures, and advice for young creatives. 

For more information on Peter, visit his personal website and Equal Parts Studio. 

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? 

In this episode, the teens discuss their experiences on group chats — sharing stories about social dynamics and feelings of inclusion and exclusion.

This episode features the amazing work of Emily Weinstein and Carrie James at the Center for Digital Thriving (CDT). Their research inspired this episode. Learn abotu their work at:

• Behind Their Screens, their amazing book
• CDT's website and their resources on thinking traps.
• CDT's new app, which is great to do with family and friends to discuss tech use and values.

With all their hip dips, pimples, stretch marks, and fat, bodies are cool and beautiful because of everything they do for us. How can we learn to love them despite societal critiques and unrealistic standards? 

In this episode, we talk about specific insecurities, the comments and comparisons that have helped foster them, and the practices we've developed to love our bodies just the way they are.

This episode contains some audio clips from a previous episode about body insecurities — we'll actually be adding some new clips soon as well but wanted to get something out this week:)

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 arts. 

To listen and learn more about Milk Street Radio, you can visit their website: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=milkstreet+radio&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

A lot of folks in This Teenage Life are going through post-high school changes right now, and with that, comes a lot of feelings of inadequacy. These feelings seem to always be present regardless of what we're doing, and in today's episode, we explore them and start to figure out how to reframe and move past them.

Social and academic dynamics are especially complex during the transition back to school. Some students are entering new schools for the first time while others are reuniting with friends they haven’t seen in months.

In this episode, the teens discuss their back-to-school emotions, strategies for entering a new school year, and tips teachers can use to make the beginning more welcoming.

This episode is sponsored by the XQ Institute. Check them out at xqsuperschool.org. If you're a student, or a teacher who may be listening to better understand your students, you can join the conversation at XQ America on social media.

In this episode, inspired and hosted by a listener-turned-contributer named Lydia, we process feelings around parents' divorces. Check out Lydia's independent work at wildflowerszine.com.

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.

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, and more. 

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. 

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. 

At This Teenage Life, we all experience anxiety in different ways — feelings in our chest, sweat on our palms, repetitive thoughts. On this episode, we talk about our experiences of anxiety and the various strategies and coping mechanisms we've developed to manage it.

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

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.

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 to get to know you and provide a warm, supportive environment to connect with other young people. Send us an email at team@thisteenagelife.org 

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. 

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!

President Biden signed into law that Juneteenth is now recognized as a national holiday. This Teenage Life contributors shared their feelings about Juneteenth and its importance to them, especially in the context of Black history being recognized as US history. 

Music credit: Molly Zucchet normally makes all our music but this episode sampled from Lobo Loco on Creative Commons.

Join us as we delve into the ways books transport and transform us.

This episode is extra special not only because of the topic, but because you'll hear from our new This Teenage Life chapter — listeners from an ocean away who reached out to come together and share their stories.

This past March, TTL celebrated its 5th birthday!

In this episode, the teens share stories of how they joined TTL and what the community has meant for them. All our current participants used to be listeners. If you want to join us too—or reach out and request and episode topic or say hi—feel free to email us at team@thisteenagelife.org

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. 

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.

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.

For better or for worse, how feminine or unfeminine we are can define how we’re treated in the world — and how we think about ourselves. In this episode, Olivia discusses her relationship with femininity. 

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

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.

To learn more about this research, check out the report and the Center for Digital Thriving’s website.

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.

For many young people, it can be hard to avoid the gossip, drama, and rumors that pass through the halls at school. While engaging in these behaviors can sometimes bring excitement, drama often leads to misunderstandings, hurt, and feelings of isolation. In this episode the teens discuss their thoughts on gossip, stories about rumors they have dealt with, and how to avoid school drama. 

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.

Middle school can be rough. You’re trying to figure out who you are, while constantly paying attention to the opinions of those around you. In this episode, we share experiences from middle school that are still influencing us today.

This is an episode about two teens who have experienced being bullied and who are working to overcome it. Being bullied can take a toll on self esteem and mental health. It can feel like you're the only one going through it and it will never end.

Even though it does end, there is still more we could do to stop bullying and to support people being bullied. At TTL, we are all about destigmatizing speaking out and making sure people don't feel alone. Listen to our episode to hear our stories but in case you're experiencing bullying, here are some more resources:

•  Thank You Next: Overcoming Bullying, a previous TTL episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
• Cybersmile Help Center
• Child Mind Institute Resources
• The Trevor Project

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.

To learn more about ASU and This Teenage Life's partnership, go to https://info.learning.asu.edu/this-teenage-life

To learn more about Dr. Way's research and read her work, visit https://www.niobe-way.com

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

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.

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.

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 share their experiences being out of high school and taking on the adult world.

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!

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

This week’s episode, led by 15-year-old TTL contributor, Lydia, is about gun violence in U.S. schools and gun control. Teens based in the U.S. talk about their experiences with lock downs, lock down drills, and what they think needs to change in order to make our schools safer. 

Check out March for Our lives to see how you can join a movement to make our schools safer.  https://marchforourlives.org/

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.

In this episode, one of the amazing teens who works on the show shares her story about how she's navigating and processing the absence of her mom in her life — the ways she has struggled and grown, and how she has strengthened other connections that support her.

This episode is about things we tell ourselves, our ideas about how others perceive us, and how these thoughts get in the way of saying or doing something that might actually be worth it.

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.

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

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.

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.

Small comments can really hurt, especially when they’re rooted in racism, misogyny, or other identity-based biases. In this episode, two teens discuss microaggressions, focusing, in particular, on actions and comments they’ve experienced about their hair.

It's been a while since our last episode on the topic, so after many requests, we're making another episode on periods. In this one, 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.

At the end of the episode, we speak with the inspiring Jordana Kier, co-founder of LOLA, a comapany that makes great mensturation products for people who get their periods. 

To hear our first episode on periods, check it out here on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Birthdays can be a special time to celebrate the love and joy that comes with being alive. They can also be kind of...weird. Between planning parties, finding the perfect gift, navigating social media posts, being the center of attention, and a general expectation that it needs to be the best day ever, birthdays can often lead to stress or disappointment. 

In this episode, we hear from the teens about their experiences with memorable birthdays, party planning, gift-giving, and more. We hope this episode normalizes all the feelings, good and bad, that come with birthdays. 

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.

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 us an email at team@thisteenagelife.org 

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. 

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/

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.

To learn more about ASU and This Teenage Life's partnership, go to https://info.learning.asu.edu/this-teenage-life

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Mental health resources:

The Suicide Lifeline: call 988 (available 24/7, and available in Spanish, Russian, Tagalong, French, and Mandarin)

Befrienders: confidential support for those in emotional crisis or distress 

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.

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.

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.

In this episode, the teens chat with Aleeza and Fonzo, the hosts of The Moth’s teen podcast, Grown — here on Apple podcasts and Spotify.

We discuss our daydreams and anxieties about growing up and becoming people we want to be.

In the fast-paced, tech-driven world we live in, it can be easy to become self- centered...specifically human-centered. In this episode, we hear from the teens about animal-friends who keep them grounded and inspired. We also hear from the prolific naturalist and author Sy Montgomery (Molly's hero) and illustrator Matt Patterson, creators of Of Time and Turtles, a gorgeous book about healing, time, and learning from other creatures.

Thank you to Sy, Matt, and their turtle community! Check out Matt's beautiful drawings here!

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. 

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/

The world is heavy right now. The wars unfolding are tragic and many of us feel devastated and helpless.

In this moment, what are some small things we can do to cultivate compassion and kindness in ourselves? How can we be the peace we want to be with the people and animals around us? In this episode, teens share how they practice compassion and reach out to connect with others to feel less alone and overwhelmed in the world.

Here is the organization, the Yellow Tulip Project, described by its Outreach Director, Danielle Whyte, towards the end of this episode.

From tests, to essays, to the constant pressure to be productive...many teens at This Teenage Life are expressing how academic stress is overpowering their love of learning. 

How can teachers and students come together to change this — to foster wonder, joy, and help heal our relationships with learning. In this episode we explore all kinds of strategies including totally shifting the way we teach and learn math.

This Teenage Life is sponsored by the XQ Institute, the leading organization dedicated to rethinking the U.S. high school experience so that every student graduates ready to succeed in college, career, and life. If you’re a student who wishes to drive change in your high school community, check out XQ’s Youth Voice toolkit. It’s full of resources to develop, advocate, and execute a plan to improve your high school. Go to YouthVoice.xqsuperschool.org to learn more. Follow XQ America on TikTok and on Instagram to share your experience as a student and change what learning looks like.

Resources from the Episode:

Check out Sarah Strong's book Dear Math: Why Kids Hate Math and What Teachers Can Do About It

In addition to being a medical issue, the pandemic has also led to a mental health crisis. In this episode, one member of This Teenage Life shares her personal story of isolation and depression during quarantine.

No one at This Teenage Life is a mental health professional, but here are some resources in case you or someone you know is experiencing depression:

Materials from the Child Mind Institute:

Overview of Depression: https://childmind.org/guide/depression-in-kids-quick-guide/

Depression in Teenagers: https://childmind.org/article/what-are-the-symptoms-of-depression-in-teenagers/

Depression Treatment: https://childmind.org/article/treatment-for-depression/

In case you or someone you know is having thoughts of self-harm:

Help-Line in India:
India http://www.aasra.info/helpline.html

Help-Line in the United States:
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

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

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.

Walking may seem like a simple, everyday activity, but for many TTL participants, it's a way to destress and find inner peace. In this episode, we discuss the important role that walking plays in our mental health.

They might make us look “better,” but they don’t always make us feel better about who we are and what we look like. In this episode of This Teenage Life, we’re hearing people’s perspectives and experiences with photo filters — like the ones we use (or choose not to use) on Instagram, Snapchat and Tik Tok.

Thanks to Raya, Sophia, Jayden, and Tori for inspiring this episode.

The internet is often seen as a chaotic and scary platform, but is it still possible to find genuine connections on it? In this episode, one of our contributers, Maith, shares how a humble attempt to create a blog (www.maithworld.blogspot.com) turned into a treasure trove of  friendships. 

This is the first episode in Tech for Humans with Maith, a new series where she explores the complicated relationship teens have with technology to facilitate more dialogues on the topic. 

Over the years, we've received a lot of emails from listeners about friendship — how to make friends, keep them, and how to processing friend breakups. In this episode of This Teenage Life, we're talking about friendship and some of the messiness that comes with being a human trying to connect with others.

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:)

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 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

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.

For several of us at TTL, games like Minecraft and Roblox offer expansive digital universes in which we can make our own worlds and find other people with shared interests.

In this episode, we hear from TTL participants along with members of the ExperienceCraft community, who use Minecraft as way to connect in the face of grief. Check out ExperienceCraft and and Connected Camps if you're looking for awesome ways to connect with teens interested in digital worlds and gaming!

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/

When teenagers feel seen and heard as whole people by teachers, it makes a huge difference in their experience at school. In this episode, we hear from teens and educators from across the U.S. about how teachers can foster strong connections with teens and build the trust needed for authentic check ins.

This Teenage Life is sponsored by the XQ Institute, the leading organization dedicated to rethinking the U.S. high school experience so that every student graduates ready to succeed in college, career, and life. If you’re a student who wishes to drive change in your high school community, check out XQ’s Youth Voice toolkit. It’s full of resources to develop, advocate, and execute a plan to improve your high school. Go to YouthVoice.xqsuperschool.org to learn more. Follow XQ America on TikTok and on Instagram to share your experience as a student and change what learning looks like. 

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.

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.