Attempted Adults Podcast
Adulthood is such a messy concept. No one gives you a certificate of adulthood, theres no checklist to make sure you know all the things, yet here we are...adulting. Each episode of Attempted Adults will work to tackle a different issue facing adults and college students. We will cover everything from making friends to managing finances, and how to plan meals. Come attempt adulthood with us!
Ep. I: Friendship
First episode of the Attempted Adults podcast! We start with an overview of friendship, particularly making friends in college. From the different kinds of friends you’ll come across in your life (hobby friends, transactional friends, soul friends) to how to deal with ghosting and friend break-ups/make-ups, this episode provides an overview on adult friendship and advice on how to develop friendships full of value and mutual respect.
Ep. II: Stress
In this episode, Kris and Ana talk about the different kinds of stress we experience in our lives and how it impacts us. We with start a discussion on stress related to friends and family, stress that is situational, and stress that is related to our experiences within our identities. As always, the episode concludes with tips and tricks for managing the stress in our lives, like making time for self-care in our schedules.
Ep. III: Adulthood
This episode gives you an overview into the concept the podcast centers around: Adulting. Ana and Kris discuss what we think of when we talk about adulthood and also, what adulting means to them. The episode centers around figuring out what your own “adulting checklist” might look like—everyone is different! We emphasize trying your best at the things that bring you joy, and saying no to the ones that don’t.
Ep. IV: Finance
Kris and Ana bring in Smith professor Randy Bartlett to discuss managing finances as an adult. This episode includes advice, information and tips surrounding credit cards, taxes, dealing with student debt and saving early for retirement. Learn how to prioritize and take control of your finances!
Ep. V: Failure
In this episode of Attempted Adults, Ana and Kris unpack dealing with failure. The Attempted Adults podcast hinges around the idea that people’s experiences in adulthood get to be defined by themselves and failure is no different! We get to choose what failure means to us, and also how to respond to it. Tune in to learn about going from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, and how to build resiliency in the face of “failure.”
Ep. VI: Hidden Skills
Discover your hidden skills in this episode of Attempted Adults with Kris and Ana. From identifying your superpower—that thing that when you do it you feel like you’re on top of the world—to figuring out all those acquired and experiential skills we gain throughout our lives, this episode will show you how to identify and promote the amazing and varied skills we acquire from the different aspects of our lives.
Bonus Episode!
In this bonus episode, Ana and Kris try (and review) kombucha! Check it out to get the inside scoop on a very “adult” drink.
Ep. VII: Heading to College
Kris and Ana tackle how to prepare for heading to college: after comparing the “College Checklist” of popular media to their own, this episode is about embracing the transition to college and preparing for the changes to the best of your ability. Tune in to hear about packing lists, navigating financial aid, engaging in your new campus community and more!
Ep. VIII: Spirituality
Kris and Ana dive into spirituality with Matilda Cantwell, the director of Religious and Spiritual Life and College Chaplain at Smith. This episode offers an insight into the different spiritual journeys these adults have gone through in their lives and a broad conversation about what spirituality means, particularly to young adults in this day and age. Covering the complexities and diversity of spiritual/religious experience across backgrounds, this episode provides tools and advice into exploring your own spirituality.
Ep. IX: Burnout
In this episode, Ana and Kris chat with Emily Nagoski, author of New York Times bestseller Come As You Are and a new book called Burnout, which she co-wrote with her twin sister, Amelia. This conversation dives into defining burnout, individual experiences with burnout and how it varies from person to person, how to mitigate burnout in busy, adult lives, and the some of the inspiration for Nagoski’s book. (Spoiler alert: it’s Moana!)
Ep. X: Interlude
This Interlude episode gives you some condensed adulting tips & tricks from Kris and Ana and lets the listeners know about Attempted Adult’s upcoming events. Check out our live show on October 30 at Amherst College and the Kizomba Dance Series happened here at Smith!
Ep. XI: Civil Engagement
Join Ana, Kris and Kristen Elechko from Cascade Inspires (a political consulting firm) in a conversation about what civil engagement can look like in our communities. What does it mean to be engaged in your community? How is that different for everyone? Why is it important, on both an individual and community level, to try to create change for ourselves and the people around us?
Episode XII: Live Show!
Tune in to Kris and Ana’s Live Show at Amherst College! Join their conversation and Q&A section about what it means to exist in such a difficult political/social climate and participate in activism. What does activism and leadership look like to each of us and how do we deal with burnout before it happens? How do we take care of ourselves, while also caring deeply about the world around us?