6-to-8

College seniors hopping on a spontaneous episode about the lessons Pouya has learned over the four transformative years of college, chat about humanities, human nature, holding on to one's power of imagination, and what it means to be a human :) 

happy new year and hangling is back with an episode about grounding, confidence, and bird...

A catch up episode that explores the stories we told and are told by, where the raw, intimate truth may be buried deep underneath the "common" narratives.

What does music mean to you? From the lens of the composer, crafting a piece of music can convey or represent many things, such as architecting an immersive space. This is what our guest today, Carlos, turns to during both his “6-to-8” as well as “9-to-5”. Carlos Meyers is a composer and conductor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His style is self described as neo-romantic, while often incorporating minimalist and spectralist influence. He established himself at a relatively young age as a creative and driven musician, with his pieces receiving several performances and awards in his hometown of Milwaukee, WI. Carlos is currently studying Music Composition (BM) with Concentrations in Conducting and Music Theory at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Check out Carlos's work via his portfolio https://www.carlosmeyersmusic.com/ and Carlos could be reached at composer@carlosmeyersmusic.com

Happy 2022! Today is also the eve for Lunar New Year, which will be the year of Tiger. This is a special episode dedicated to the new year as well as an archive throwback to NYC trip during the fall break!

When was the last time that you had a popsicle? As a popslinger during the day, Chris gets to ask that question to new people of all walks of life and their stories behind these Popsicle memories every day. Whenever it is a hot summer day or a gloomy rainy day, a fresh popsicle could make the world feel so much better. Chris has always been open to new opportunities and stepped out of his comfort zone by saying yes to things. During his years as a student at Vanderbilt, he has always taken that adventurous spirit from taking the lead role for the theater production Vanderbilt Off Broadway and starting his own business in college. When he explored financial industries, ran his own insurance agency and sales, and worked for a start-up, Chris then took on a completely new step when an opportunity emerged: being the neighborhood partner for Nashville King of Pops. This has been an incredibly fulfilling journey where he gets to bring joy and happiness and witness the magic of popsicle in making people's days better. Tune in for this episode where Chris shares about his journey from college onwards and these adventures as well as the identity shift, regaining perspective and now fulfilling experiences involved with the popsicle stand. Chris could be reached at chris.gardner@kingofpops.com, and the King of Pops Nashville instagram @kop_nashville.

For Kevin, the job of the artist is to find things in the world that are beautiful- or have the potential to become beautiful. While many things may not initially seem - beautiful, all it takes is a change in angle, lighting, or color to bring out their true character. Something that is beautiful to him is not just something that is nice to look at, but something that fills your mind with wonder- something that makes you stop and think. Kevin is a senior from Boston, studying biochemistry, Spanish, and studio art at Vanderbilt University. On campus he conducts colorectal cancer research in the King lab at ESB and is also a member of the SyBBURE Searle Undergraduate research program. Kevin has also been the president of the Kefi Collective, Vanderbilt's public arts organization, for two years. After graduating, he intends to attend medical school for an MSTP program. In this episode, Kevin takes us back in time to when he first fell in love with art, the transformative evolving relationships, and its delicate balance with nature, gymnastic, music and science. Let's dive right into it!

Catch up with Hangling on this spontaneous episode as she went to a real podcast recording studio for the first time and got too excited trying on the equipments- and then here it goes... she started talking and going on and on - studio, summer realizations, junior year realities, self-love and mental wellbeing, nature, interpersonal relationships, songs and more - and this BONUS episode comes into its being :) 

A native of NYC, Elizabeth had no idea about what she wanted to do for a living growing up. She has quite an unconventional path, dropping out in the middle of college and then working in the fashion industry. Then, she decided to go back to Columbia University for a bachelor's degree and found her passion roaming in the Victorian literature. After a year working in a law firm, Elizabeth moved to teaching at NYC high school through the NYC Teaching Fellows program (very similar to Teach for America). Then, Elizabeth decided to get her PhD, and finally came here to teach at Vanderbilt. In this episode, Elizabeth shares about the ups and downs along this unconventional career path journey, a variety of topics and perspectives from body image, role of community, societal expectations and individualistic pursuits, along with what got her into her “6-to-8”, doing Yoga and now Yoga instructor after 200+ hours training during the pandemic. Let's dive right into this wonderful journey of discovery and Elizabeth's stories!

Zoia lives in an eternal state of intellectual curiosity, driven by her desire to create impact and put a zing in the universe. Focused on the combination of people, products, and brands to create impact-driving solutions for wicked problems, Zoia is used to working amongst senior executives from the start-up world to Fortune 500's alike. Zoia is currently working at Citi as the VP in product management on Google Pay x Citi Plex. Outside her "9-to-5," Zoia is truly a multi-hyphenate being an educator, podcaster, mentor, and founder of her own non-profit. Her passions for democratizing knowledge and intellectual endeavors have enabled her to extend her reach as an advisor and mentor to start-ups and non-profits. She is also part-time faculty at Columbia University, teaching at a graduate level. As the Global Marketing Lead at the nonprofit WIN: Women in Innovation. She launched, produced, and edited a podcast, "WIN/WIN: Women in Innovation" that has thousands of downloads and features senior women in the space. Moreover, Zoia recently launched a non-profit foundation in her father's memory: “The Kozakov Foundation.” The foundation aims to change the state of creative industries, such as theatre, arts, photography, and design, to be made up of people who want to create culturally significant work that impacts us all. In practice, this means giving the next generation of artists and designers an opportunity to pursue the arts through funding their education and giving them the tools to succeed via the Kozakov Fellowship. Tune in to hear about Zoia's "6-to-8" journey and the stories in-between a "Multi-Hyphenate"!

Movement of body and soul, with rich storytelling and deep self-expression, flows through Asya's dance. A college junior majoring in Child Studies and Medicine, Health, and Society during the day, Asya is a 20-year old native of Memphis, TN who initially began her dance journey at the age of 6. Once she dipped her toe into the world of dance, this particular passion of hers became something that would follow her all the way through her childhood and even into her adult life now. Tune in to hear about Asya's journey starting out with a majorette team at her elementary school, later referring to a ballet program with a nearby studio, the ups and downs along the way, and how dancing translates to her life and her identity in a special way!

Creativity sparks, inspiration stems, and emotions flow through Christine's work. A college software engineer intern at Microsoft by day, Christine is one of these talented content creators with a mastery across photography, choreography, videography, and many more during her 6-to-8. With a passion for fashion and experimenting, she likes to take cool footage and make little films out of them, practice hip-hop dancing by scraping the choreo out of Youtube, and making fashion-related content on Instagram and Youtube. In this episode, Christine shares about how this all stems from her childhood, ups and downs along the ride like her solo getaway trip in Hokkaido's snow shapes her and her content creation, and journey being a photographer, dancer, filmmaker and YouTuber. Check out Christine's Instagram (@itschristinezhou) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsA5YLcaJmhau73vz1WIGxQ)

What is a song that comes to mind as you conjure up a cherished memory? Music connects, units, and binds people together and transcends across human connection. Our guest today, Gavin, a Philadelphia native studying at Vanderbilt University by day, is in the world of producing music and sharing this passion with his band called New Parlor. Gavin has been writing & performing music since a young age and has done a lot of different things. He's been in 4 other bands, did solo performances and was involved in the Boy Band once. Through those experiences, Gavin has gained a huge online following, headlined his own tour and played sold out shows in his native hometown, Philadelphia. While Gavin has done a lot of different things, the constant is his immense passion for creating music and sharing with others. Check out the New Parlor band via Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/7b4mYHolxEXtKR4qMxxCg6?si=ybSgaP9zSBu3FQAo7M4q5Q and instagram @newparlorband. Tune into this episode and hear about Gavin's journey from writing his first song to where he is today.

What is one thing you started doing or a side-hustle you picked up during quarantine? Sav, a college sophomore by day, turned her passion for crafting body butter and soaps into founding her very own body care company, Chey Terra — a body care company specializing in 100% vegan + handmade products made with love, people, and Mother Earth in mind. Sav completes every step of the process from product formulation, preparation, creation, packaging, and mailing. Tune into this episode to hear about how Sav started her own skincare journey & Chey Terra and the stories in between. In addition to managing Chey Terra, Sav enjoys spending time with family and friends, and tending to her new plant children. Check out Chey Terra at https://cheyterra.com/ and Instagram @cheyterra.

What's the last time you have created something, just for pleasure? Henry, while being a student at Virginia Tech, finds himself diving into the world of making and creating all things electronics and 3D printing. Ever since he was little, he has loved developing and creating. That passion has manifested into his brand: Forsyth Creations. Through his YouTube channel, he hopes to share what he has learned in a fun, inviting environment that helps others learn what he knows. The Forsyth Creations idea, what the brand means, is a free sharing of information. Beyond his work, Henry is also a runner, a part time skier, and when he isn't working or hanging with friends, you'll find him at his local parish fixing outlets, painting walls, or hanging pictures. Check out Henry's website https://www.forsythcreations.com and YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdszVOnp3Koma14aIj-HWMA!

Have you ever told a joke that nobody laughs at? Our guest today Jack, a New York University college student by day, shares about his times doing character comedy during his “6-to-8.” Jack started doing character comedy as he went to NYU and getting involved with many different things from writing a funny monologue, making a costume, and performing live at open mics and shows with his roommate around NYC. Growing up, he has always been drawn to making people laugh, watching comedy, and experiencing comedy with others. Let's dive right into this journey!

In this episode, Romberg York, a sophomore at College of Charleston studying Environmental Geoscience and Sustainability, talks about her passion for crafting food and sharing with her friends & family during her “6-to-8.” Growing up, Romberg has always gravitated towards many different kinds of art forms, including fashion, music, and photography. She learned early on that food is also an art form and you can create something beautiful from the most simple ingredients. Tune into this episode and hear about how Romberg comes into cooking for an upscale restaurant as a chef while being a college student, and then how it turns into her “6 to 8” sharing the joy of food with family and friends.

In this episode, Sterling Gourdine, a 19 year old college student at Vanderbilt University, shared about his 6-to-8 as a music producer and periodic rapper as Regional Overlord Sterling Silver, or R.O.S.S. Specializing in versatility, Regional Overlord Sterling Silver often pairs layered, head-knocking drums and strong 808 bass lines with smooth chords, playful synths, and percussion loops. Inspired by all that he hears and aspiring to surpass his contemporaries, Sterling's ambitious and unique production can be found on several artists' works, including Chuckthespittah's “Bed is My God” and “Jet Lines,” Pyrex The Enigma's “Dimensions With No Direction” and “Grey Balance,” as well as numerous collaborations with producer and friend N_ova. Tune into this episode and hear about Sterling's journey from making his first beat to where he is today.

In this episode, Lauren Moïse shares about how she took a simple idea of pearl necklace inspired from a summer camp back in middle school and turned it into her own jewelry brand Double L (@doubleljewelry) and now starting a T-Shirt line Lalalizytees (@lalalizytees) in college during her “ 6-to-8”. Lauren grew up in Charlotte, NC and has a strong passion for creativity, fashion, and clothing from a young age. She shared about how her entrepreneurial journey took off from her hair ribbon business in 3rd grade all the way to creating her own jewelry line Double L & its upscale line LLUXE in middle school, and now her T-Shirt brand Lalalizytees!

In this episode, Irfaan Khalid, a software engineer with work experience from Amazon to Vivid Seats, shares about how he came into powerlifting back in college and became a powerlifter during his “ 6-to-8”. Irfaan graduated from Vanderbilt University studying Computer Science and Applied Mathematics, and was the president of VandyHacks, a campus organization he called home dearly. Outside of work, Irfaan is a passionate photographer, writer, public speaker, and amateur powerlifter with competitive aspiration.

In this episode, Alex Rains, a first-year medical student at the University of Chicago and a Vanderbilt University graduate, shared about her favorite thing to do after a long day of studying: to care for her family of plants. What started as a small collection has grown into a veritable apartment jungle- Alex and her roommate now tend to over 50 plants of different varieties in their home and run an instagram account for them (@pritzkerplantmoms). Not only is her mood boosted by their green girls, but she also gets to share the joy of plants with her friends, watch the progress that comes with consistent nurturing, and remind herself to slow down and practice self-care as well.

This season, 6-to-8 Podcast explores people's side-hustles, passions, and other interests outside their 9-to-5 work lives and studies!