This Teenage Life This Teenage Life

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. 

In times of stress, sadness, or loneliness, many of us turn to art to find solace and belonging. Whether it's a visual art practice, a musical experience, or a new hobby, creative pursuits can connect us to ourselves and others, supporting emotional wellbeing and mental health.
 
In this episode, the teens share how they use art in their lives. Our friends from culture therapy also share their experiences. 
 
If you're interested in being part of art and  creativity centered online workshops, fill out this form. Also, check out culture therapy's Substack, along with TTL's new Substack!

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!

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. 

It can be isolating and lonely to feel different from your peers, whether that's because of your identity, social and political beliefs, or simply the way you think about the world.
 
Fortunately, there are so many others out there who don't fit within various social norms who ar ealso working to construct community.
 
In this episode, TTL participants team up with hosts from the Future Perfect Project's podcast "I'm Feeling Queer Today" to explore what it means to be a "misfit," the strengths that come with being different, and how to find spaces where you belong.
 
While this episode is a celebration of Pride Month and the beauty of self acceptance, this conversation is for anyone who feels like they bump up against the status quo.
 
Thank you to Celeste, Emma, Lily, and Eric for joining us for this episode. Click the links below to learn more about their incredible work: 
https://www.thefutureperfectproject.org/podcast
https://www.thetrevorproject.org

The media is filled with stories about the global teen loneliness crisis. Yet, we rarely hear from teens themselves. In this episode, sponsored by Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University, we hear from teens around the globe about their experiences of contemporary loneliness, and how they're navigating it. 
 
We hope this episode helps to destigmatize loneliness so people realize: while you might feel lonely sometimes, you are not alone in that feeling. 
 
To learn more about ASU and This Teenage Life's partnership, go to https://info.learning.asu.edu/this-teenage-life