Listen! The Podcast

Take #36! Welcome to SEASON 5 of Listen! I chat with my lovely guest Eliot Schrefer—he is aNew York Times bestselling author, is a science writer, has twice been a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature, received the Stonewall Honor for best LGBTQIA+ teen book, and received the Printz Honor for best young adult book from the American Library Association. What a LIST.Eliot and I discuss the themes of mental health and intimacy inThe Darkness Outside Usand new sequelThe Brightness Between Us, dive into the power of media in processes of catharsis and identity formation, explore the complexity of life and our hidden selves in literature, and more. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #35! Welcome to SEASON 4 of Listen! In this final part of my four-episode fandom series, I chat with my lovely friend Kore about their art journey, finding themselves through art, discovering fandom friendships, their self-taught experience, our very first fandoms, and more. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #34! Welcome to SEASON 4 of Listen! In this next part of my fandom series, I chat with my wonderful friend Anchor about impostor syndrome, finding our fandom footings, our writing processes, how we engage with reading fic, reconciling our words with stats, and more. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #33! Welcome to SEASON 4 of Listen! In this next part of my fandom series, I chat with my lovely friend Sarah about our definitions of success, why we write what we write, what motivates us to engage in fandom, creating connection through fanfiction, and more. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #32! Welcome to SEASON 4 of Listen! I know it has been a hot minute since I last posted, so I appreciate the patience, my friends. I chat with my lovely friend Val about fandom spaces, building community and self-worth, understanding your identity as a writer, internet friendships across time zones, and more. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #31! Welcome to SEASON 3 of Listen! It's been a while...thanks for waiting, folks. I chat with my wonderful friend Trevor about our mental health and well-being, resiliency in the face of trauma and challenges, discovering our selected families, and the importance of support systems in growth and recovery. How does Pedro fit into all of this? You'll just have to see. Eagle-eyed listeners will notice the title is a nod to all of my episodes with Trevor (Take #1, Take #15, Take #28). A delight, as always. Welcome to...Listen! [Content warning: Discussions on mental health issues, suicidal ideation, language use]

Take #30! Welcome to SEASON 3 of Listen! I chat with my lovely guest Ali Hazelwood - a New York Times bestselling author, STEM academic, and the very personification of sunshine. Ali and I discuss STEM representation in romance, our definitions of success, mental health in the face of literary popularity, and more. We break down our next big goals, the power of fanfiction, and why romance is one of the best genres out there. You can read Ali's debut novel The Love Hypothesis and her STEMinist novellas while waiting for her next novel Love On The Brain to release August 23rd. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #29! Welcome to SEASON 3 of Listen, and the first episode of 2022! I chat with my lovely friend Jennifer about what it means to bring your authentic self to life while being conscious and protective of yourself and your energy in the process. We break down honesty, vulnerability, and building trust in and out of the workplace. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #28! Welcome to SEASON 3 of Listen! I chat with my wonderful friend Trevor about post-isolation mental health and social life, our lack of patience nowadays for nonsense, self-care and the importance of rest, and our thoughts as we reenter society and rediscover ourselves. Some of you may notice the title is a little nod to my very first podcast episode, as well as the season 2 premiere episode (Take #15!), both featuring Trevor! We love a good throwback. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #27! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with an amazing panel of 3 of my South Asian peers. We discuss destigmatizing mental health in the South Asian community, self-esteem, generational trauma, unattainable success, and more! Welcome to...Listen!

Take #26! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with my lovely colleague Erin about mental health in the workplace, how to avoid burnout, work-life balance, authenticity, and more. We break down our individual mental health journeys at work, de-stigmatizing the conversation, and how we can all prioritize the things that matter most to us. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #25! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with my awesome friend Lauren about how to intersect your passions with your job. Lauren has taken her creative and outgoing personality and created a successful event and wedding planning business! We break down her journey in choosing a career path and transitioning to entrepreneurship. We also explore her efforts to differentiate herself among her industry, family, and peers. Welcome to...Listen! P.S. Check out Lauren's professional Instagram @lzeventco !!

Take #24! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with my lovely friend Manisha about pandemic relationships and dating, how we're navigating the transition into the "new norm" (truly the most overused term!), and our expectations for interpersonal relationships post pandemic. We break down our individual journeys of love, and where we think the road ahead will lead. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #23! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with my radiant friend Tara about body positivity and image, the intentional path of self-love, social media as a platform for vulnerability, and more. We break down our relationships with ourselves - our bodies, our minds, and our fears. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #22! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with my lovely guest Mike Johnson - an Air Force veteran, bestselling author, fan favorite from Season 15 of The Bachelorette, and exceptional human being. We discuss self-love, compassion, our tips for confidence, positive/negative self talk, growth after pain, and more! Welcome to...Listen!

It's been a hot minute since you guys got one of these...so here's a Bonus Take on the new season of The Bachelorette! I chat with my friend Lauren about the new and unconventional season of The Bachelorette. We go over our feelings about Clare's part of the season, the variety of men we're in love with, the unnecessary drama, and more. As always, we don't hold back on our criticism or unsolicited opinions / predictions. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #20! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with my new friend Mikie, a biologist, aspiring physician, TikTok icon (@fatherscience), and wonderful human being. We discuss his road to recovery, success in the face of adversity, why college > high school, therapy, TikTok as a platform for destigmatizing mental health and addiction, and more! Welcome to...Listen! [Content warning: Discussions on substance use disorders, language use]

Take #19! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! I chat with an amazing panel of 5 of my South Asian peers. We walk through the South Asian experience, SAs in healthcare, our civic duty and activism, starting difficult conversations at home, and more! Welcome to...Listen!

Take #18! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! This week I’ll be chatting with an incredible panel of 7 of my Black mentors, friends, colleagues, and educators. They break down the concepts of microaggressions, systemic racism, the current movement, allyship, resources, and more! Welcome to...Listen!

Take #17! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! This week I’ll be chatting with my awesome friend and future astronaut (no, really!) Lakshmi about the importance of identity and passion in choosing your future career. We break down our individual journeys in navigating our interests and choosing careers that bring us joy and purpose. We also have a message for the graduating generation - we believe in you. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #16! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! This week I’ll be chatting with my brilliant friend Harrison about what it means to be a T-shaped person, how you can be a jack of trades but a master of some things properly, and how we try to soak up knowledge every day. We all just want to be better. Better teammates, better communicators, and better people. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #15! Welcome to SEASON 2 of Listen! This week I’ll be chatting with my wonderful friend Trevor about mental health, Zachary Levi, self love and positive/negative self talk, and our progress in our mental health journey. Some of you may notice the title is a little nod to my very first podcast episode, which also featured Trevor as my first guest! We love a good throwback.  Welcome to...Listen! 

Here's another bonus Take on the new season of The Bachelorette! I chat with my friend Lauren about Hannah's journey to find love. A lot has happened since our Week 1 recap, and we are here to SPILL THE TEA. Hannah's heading into hometowns, so Lauren and I go over the remaining men. We LOVE Tyler and Pete. We are unimpressed with Jed and his recent drama in the press. And finally, we yell about Luke for an unhealthy amount of time. Tune in for unsolicited opinions, final 2 predictions, and our endorsement for the next Bachelor. Welcome to...Listen!

Here's a Bonus Take on the new season of The Bachelorette! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelorette, same as we did for The Bachelor. Week 1 was pretty tame - just the intros and a nice cocktail party to get us started. But, it wouldn't be The Bachelorette without some drama!!! Lauren and I go through all of the men and their bios, and we don't hold back on our criticism. We are...quite harsh. But stick around for our unsolicited opinions and predictions. Welcome to...Listen! 

Here's a Bonus Take for all you GoT fans! I chat with my wonderful friend Nicole about Game of Thrones. I've only recently started watching (still on season 3, sorry!!), while Nicole has been watching since the beginning. We talk about changes the show has seen since the beginning, character development and arcs, and predictions for the series finale. There are spoilers throughout, of course. I gasp a lot as Nicole warns me about what's to come. Welcome to...Listen! 

Take #11! We did it, folks! Roops is officially a COLLEGE GRADUATE (!!!), so Season 1 must come to an end. Season 2 will be starting up in the fall, once I start my new job in New York City! Crazy!! This week, I'll be chatting with my wonderful friend Anna about geek culture, fandoms, Game of Thrones (SOME SPOILERS ARE VOICED!), Harry Potter, Avengers: Endgame (WE SAY A LOT OF SPOILERS, A WARNING!!), and other great cultural moments. We discuss how the media we consume as children affects us profoundly, and we explore how geek culture impacts character development.  We end the season with a variety of Quick Quips...and they're very bizarre. As always, there's a lot of giggling. Welcome to...Listen! I'll see you guys in the fall. Until then, have a wonderful rest of your week. 

Take #10! This week I’ll be chatting with my good friend Katie about college, life lessons, and our personal growth and development. It’s fun to see how far we’ve come! As usual, there's a lot of giggling. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #9! I chat with my good friend (and Trader Joe's SUPERFAN) Meredith about the beauty of Trader Joe's. We discuss the culture, people, and food at TJ, and give some good recommendations. This isn't even a sponsored episode...we just love Trader Joe's...a lot. Welcome to...Listen! 

Take #8.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. We did it folks...we have hit the end! Lauren and I reflect on the finale, the season, and the future. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #8! I chat with Dr. Jeff Hales about his work in sustainability, his career journey, and the role of business in sustainability initiatives. We even manage to incorporate a few Star Wars references. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #7.75! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. The Women Tell All episode was full of yelling, drama, and tears. We break down the conversations and predict what's to come. We are annoyed, frustrated, and confused...so we tell you all about it. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #7.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 9 was too much for the both of us to handle. The Fantasy Suite dates were not the fantasies we were hoping to watch. Let's just say that we're a little frustrated. We've been sick all week and on a lot of ibuprofen, so we don't hold back. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #7! I chat with my pal Conor about popular conspiracy theories! Is Keanu Reeves immortal? Is the Illuminati trying to control the world, with Beyoncé as its leader? Has Avril Lavigne actually died and been replaced with a clone named Melissa? We dive into some of the weirdest theories out there. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #6! I chat with Dr. Tiffany Johnson about mental health and self-care as a person in the working world. We break down the meaning of finstas (fake instagrams), anonymous Twitter accounts, and therapy. Gratitude and positivity jars are also brought up, which we're now a huge fan of! Welcome to...Listen!

Take #6.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 8 was all about HOMETOWNS! Hard questions were asked, fathers were (extremely) skeptical, and people had to really face their emotions and priorities this time around. Also...Colton does NOT jump the fence this episode, but we're keeping our fingers crossed for next week. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #5! I chat with a GT librarian and doctoral student in public policy, Ameet Doshi, about what it means to take care of yourself as a student. We dive into self-care, meditation, and more. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #5.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 7 was SO MUCH DRAMA. Exits! Tears! Accusations! And, as usual, we discuss how Blake Horstmann would behave in these awkward situations, because our new motto is #WWBD - What Would Blake Do? Welcome to...Listen!

Take #4.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 6 was absolutely insane. We were DROWNING in dramatic exits, tears, and sheer drama. And, as usual, we discuss what Blake Horstmann would do in these situations, because we adore him. Welcome to...Listen!  

Take #4! I chat with my friend Abbey about the extensive Romantic Comedy film genre in the spirit of Valentine’s Day! We dive into the different subgenres, list out some of our favorite movies, and freak out about the timeless quality of the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan pairing. We also expose a lot of secrets about the fast-track to a girl’s heart (hint: just quote Mr. Darcy). Lots of heart eyes and giggling on this special Valentine’s Day themed episode. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #3.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 5 was...rather boring. Lauren was a trooper and watched the random reality show that Cassie was on, and I expressed my thoughts about Elyse (I love her!!!). To make up for the lack of action, we praised Blake Horstmann yet again. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #3! I chat with my wonderful friend Domo about being a woman in the workplace, code switching, and how to really understand diversity. As usual, lots of laughter and a teeeeensy bit of explicit language (Domo and I have a lot of opinions, okay?). Welcome to...Listen!

Take #2.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 4 had some powerful moments. We also gushed excessively about Blake Horstmann, as usual. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #2! I chat with a Georgia Tech marketing professor about why learning isn’t exciting anymore. How can we make the classroom more fun? Are we destined for old, boring, lifeless lectures? As usual, excessive giggling galore. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #1.5! I chat with my friend Lauren about The Bachelor. Week 3 was really a ride and a half. We didn't hold back. Welcome to...Listen!

Take #1! I chat with my male compatriot, Trevor, about men, gender norms, and dating. Also, excessive giggling, unsolicited opinions, and sassy retorts galore. Welcome to...Listen!