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This Teenage Life

This Teenage Life

This Teenage Life 203 Episodes Aug 20, 2026

This Teenage Life is a podcast created by teenagers, exploring their ideas, stories, and unique perspectives as they navigate personal growth. The show offers an authentic look into the lives and thoughts of young people. Listeners are encouraged to reach out to the team via email.

Episodes

A Look Behind the Scenes into Finding Meaningful Work: In Conversation with Rei and Ricky Bertoldi and Hannah Testa
A Look Behind the Scenes into Finding Meaningful Work: In Conversation with Rei and Ricky Bertoldi and Hannah Testa Aug 20, 2026 17:38 This episode highlights two conversations had in the process of making "Finding Meaningful Work: Navigating Pressures Around Chosen Career Paths and Finding Joy in the Process," with Rei and Ricky, sisters who work in the environmental science and policy field and Hannah Testa, a youth activist who started a nonprofit in high school called Hannah for Change. This episode explores topics of cultiva
Navigating Pressures Around Chosen Career Paths and Finding Joy in the Process
Navigating Pressures Around Chosen Career Paths and Finding Joy in the Process Jul 27, 2026 21:11 As a young person, it is okay to not know what you want to do. There is a lot of pressure placed on teenagers to know what they want their careers to look like, but how does one know what they want to do, and how they want to do it?  In this episode of This Teenage Life, Stella, Jayden and Lydia explore questions around meaningful work. What does "meaningful work" mean? How does one balance financ
Throwback Episode: Grappling With Loss
Throwback Episode: Grappling With Loss Jul 4, 2026 26:31 In this re-released episode, Stella shares her experiences processing the loss of her Dad. She explores societal expectations of closure and how they diverge from her own understandings of loss and ambiguity. 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 i
Throwback Episode: Daydreams
Throwback Episode: Daydreams Jun 4, 2026 21:18 In this re-released episode, the teens chat with Aleeza and Fonzo, the hosts of The Moth's teen podcast, Grown — here on  Apple podcasts and Spotify. They discuss their daydreams, hopes, and anxieties about growing up and becoming people they want to be.
Throwback Episode: Coming Out Story
Throwback Episode: Coming Out Story Apr 22, 2026 28:55 This week, we're re-releasing an episode about a trans young man and his mom navigating his coming out and transition. Together, they demonstrate the power of love and communication between a parent and a child.
Throwback Episode: Eco-Anxiety and Optimism
Throwback Episode: Eco-Anxiety and Optimism Apr 5, 2026 20:07 This week, we have another thrownack episode for you: All 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. 
Throwback Episode: We Are Not Alone: Connecting with Animals & Ourselves
Throwback Episode: We Are Not Alone: Connecting with Animals & Ourselves Mar 16, 2026 29:28 This week, we're re-releasing our 2022 interview with author and naturalist Sy Montgomery. Life can feel especially lonely if you think humans are the only creatures on this planet. Getting close to animals and the natural world can help us connect with ourselves and each other. On Earth Day 2022, we spoke with Montgomery about forming deep relationships with animals and how getting to know animal
Throwback Episode: Parents Are People Too
Throwback Episode: Parents Are People Too Feb 17, 2026 11:07 Today, we're throwing it back to a Season 1 of This Teenage Life with a re-release of the episode "Parents Are People Too." 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.
Independence
Independence Jan 31, 2026 15:36 In this episode of This Teenage Life, teens discuss what independence means to them: how they discover it, the challenges of balancing freedom with still being a "kid," and how their sense of independence evolves from high school to college.
Creating Authentic Friendships
Creating Authentic Friendships Dec 31, 2025 19:28 It can be challenging to navigate between being yourself and trying to fit in. It can feel vulnerable to express enthusiasm yet nonchalence can get in the way of making true friendships. How do we create honest and authentic friendships with other people? What has worked or not worked for us in the past? In the spirit of starting off 2026 with some reflection, hope, and desire for increasing authe
Turning Interests into Community, Work, and Purpose
Turning Interests into Community, Work, and Purpose Dec 10, 2025 18:03 Josie Kim is a teenager, a hockey player, and great sports photographer. In high school, she learned to use a camera to engage with her love of sports in new ways that allow her to connect with people and even get paying jobs. In this episode you'll hear an interview with Josie and learn about her journey. We hope this can help more teens to think about how to engage with interests in new ways tha
Feeling Stupid
Feeling Stupid Nov 9, 2025 31:27 "Why can't I get this?! I feel so dumb! Am I behind? Why is everyone else understanding this when I'm not?" These are common questions all of us at This Teenage Life have felt at some point, especially after taking certain tests. In this episode, we talk about situations—mostly academic—where we experience self-doubt, compare ourselves to others, or spiral about grades. We discuss how these moment

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