For the last time, "thank you for listening to The Socially Awkward Podcast."

The Socially Awkward Podcast turns 3, and we are taking a break. The podcast has seen John, Rebecca, and Emma through various life events, a huge collective one being the pandemic. Producing 1 episode per month during periods of Covid restrictions while juggling studies and personal life was never easy. However, the skills and memories that producing the podcast has brought are invaluable and will be forever treasured by everyone on the team.

We want to express our gratitude to everyone who helped make this podcast possible, including our families, team members, mentors, and guests!

Ethan has dialed in all the way from London where he is currently studying law. From topics like social clubs and making friends in University, to unpacking what "counts as racism", this podcast is jampacked from start to finish with every topic under the sun.

As a podcast that is mainly based in Singapore, hearing about the housing crisis in the UK, transportation and professor strikes, and street protests from Ethan has been nothing short of eye opening. Having lived in both Singapore, and now the UK, Ethan describes the different experiences he's had in these different multicultural societies.

"When you're boiling hot water, you don't see it boiling until it's boiled" Audrian shares with Emma all about their experience as an athlete who does sprint kayaking. Kayaking has helped Audrian grow to understand that progress in not linear and to navigate through various things like athlete burnout, having peers go on to join the  Canoe Sprint National Junior Team and "impostor" syndrome. They candidly share about how this sport has impacted their life in various ways, especially how it made them wrestle with the concept of gender identity. Audrian identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. 

"You go to the grocery store and mom is not there to go like: 'oh we're not buying that' "

Going to college at the height of the pandemic, all the way overseas was not easy for Anna. Having gone through the Singapore Public Education system, homeschooling, going to college, as well as being in between cultures, moving to Minnesota for college has really grown her a lot. She shares interesting college stories, talks about how she grew to like her accounting class, gaining confidence, and learning how to accept her Asian side as well as her white side.

Did you go to college? How did that experience make you grow as a person?

When we were kids, there was probably a time in our lives when we dressed up as fictional characters. Whether it was putting on a random white coat and pretending to be a doctor, or dressing up as Superman for Halloween. Well, is cosplay any different? Claire talks about how she got into cosplaying, why she cosplays, what to be aware of when joining the cosplay community, and how to start cosplaying yourself!

Whether you share Cayley and Claire's hobby of cosplaying or are just curious as to why some people do it, have a listen to this episode! There may have been some inaccurate preconceived notions that you have as it isn't something that people come in contact with often, but the best is to listen to what someone who cosplays has to say about it.

Back again on the podcast, Ethan updates Emma with his top 3 highlights as well as future plans! After deciding to dedicate more time to music, Ethan has released original songs (linktr.ee/ethantan) and has some exciting news regarding music school! As an independent artist, Ethan shares how Tiktok has given him new perspectives and opportunities, and how that has impacted him. With content and art inevitably coexisting in this day and age, Emma and Ethan share their thoughts on what exactly "art" is, and how the mishmash of the two has impacted the music industry, especially independent producers like Ethan.

All Gen-Zs born into the internet, Emma, Rebecca and Cayley share their different experiences growing up with the internet. They share about accidentally losing contact with a friend because of China's firewall, reading comics on the computer, and having to smack a box TV in order to watch something. While the internet has a multitude of positive aspects, the three of them highlight important issues like minors on tiktok, parents posting their children's faces online, how nuances of certain subjects are lost on particular platforms, and much more.

Did you grow up with the internet? What was your experience like?

"I'm not being hired to be a representation of Henry Golding, or whatever actor there is out there. I'm entering this industry because I'm being a representation of myself because I'm not represented in the industry." 

In this episode, Kevin shares with Emma how his love for acting started, and how his homeschooling experience and accumulation of life experiences led him to pursue acting in Los Angeles. It wasn't a straightforward or easy journey for Kevin, but he was determined to hold on to his dream. Now back in Singapore for a short break, Kevin shares the lessons he's learned in his line of work, how important it is for people to be comfortable in themselves and to define their own success.

Growing up reading the story The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Emma, Rebecca,  and Cayley take a deep dive and relook at the morals of the book. Considered the "most divisive piece of children's literature", the relationship between the Tree and the Boy is heavily debated, with multiple interpretations and understandings of the story. The three of them chat about this story in the context of a parent-child relationship, bring up the point that the emotions of the boy are not written about, and how we may be more similar to the boy than we'd like to think.

What is your interpretation of this story? How has it changed over time?

Have you had a moment in your life when you thought "wow, I'm really becoming like my mom"? With International Women's Day just around the corner, this episode is about all things "women". Cayley, Dani, Emma and Rebecca talk about expectations, harmful stereotypes, and intergenerational communication between women in the family. Regardless of your gender or how you identify, the truth of "being authentically you" remains. Understanding where others are coming from, and being able to have a good relationship despite differing views is not easy, and definitely a work in progress. This International Women's Day we want you to celebrate how far you've come, how much you've grown, and encourage you to press on as you try to be the most authentic you. 

Dishing out their hot takes, personal experiences and thoughts on hyperconsumerism, Emma, Cayley and Rebecca chat candidly in this episode. In a world where trends come and go so quickly, coupled with the pressure to maintain a certain kind of image, we get caught up in buying things that we don't need. These choices contribute to major problems like an excess of waste, particularly in the fashion and beauty industry. While we hold corporations accountable for their actions, we should also do our part as consumers. How can we change our mindset? Who influences us to make these decisions? What are some changes to our lifestyle that we can make? 

What IS the hype in hyperconsumerism?

From having to adapt quickly to changing Covid measures, to baking tomato cakes and eating spicy noodles unfazed, 2021 has definitely been an exceptional year for the team at The Socially Awkward Podcast. Go back in time with us as we recap our favorite podcast moments, fun behind-the-scenes moments, and hopes for 2022! To everyone who has been listening and being a part of the podcast, we sincerely appreciate you for sticking around and being the reason why we do what we do here. Happy New Year :)

How did Titus make the decision to study in Polytechnic, and specifically a Health Service Management course? What even is Health Service Management? In this episode, Titus shares with Cayley why he chose to go to Poly instead of Junior College, and how he got interested in physiotherapy. He addresses the differences and similarities between homeschooling and Poly and what he personally did to adapt to this new environment in this season of his life. 

"I am comparing myself to these creative people and I want to be like them, but at the end of the day that's not who I am and I'm not really happy so why force it"

In this episode, Natasha shares her journey of coming to terms with not being a stereotypical "creative" person working in the creative industry. Expressing herself best through excel sheets and point-form checklists, she's realized how drafting good emails and writing briefs involves just as much creativity as a stereotypical "creative" job.

In an episode touching on inclusivity and journeying with a sibling with special needs, Amanda shares a glimpse of life with her sister Amelia. Amelia was recently diagnosed with INAD (Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy) an autosomal recessive disorder affecting 150+ kids worldwide and the only known case in Singapore. Despite her condition, Amelia is just like any other teenager who likes fashion, watching Netflix, and not doing her homework. Through this episode, Amanda emphasizes how seeing past the physical and embracing their personality and strengths can help us become a more inclusive community for individuals who need it most.

"Everybody has a different plate and threshold of pressure and anxiety, and it is not for us to pinpoint who is better or worse at it" Priscilla and Emma chat about their experience with performance anxiety and what they've learned from this journey of growth. Having studied at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, Priscilla shares her experiences as a student and how she collaborated with other like-minded individuals to start Artpeace, a youth organization with positive social impact.

"Animals are a responsibility that you cannot underestimate, in fact, I would overestimate the responsibility just to be on the safe side, to see if you really still want this." Both pet owners, Emma and Cayley talk about ethical pet keeping and how research is vital in assuring the quality (and not just quantity) of a pet's life. 

What happens when you move overseas to a new country and not long after, a global pandemic happens and no one can go out anymore? When life changes drastically and people come and go, it can be hard to stay connected with friends. In extraordinary times like this, Faith talks about how she has found a community online, and how platforms like Discord have helped her build and foster friendships.

Telling stories isn't difficult. Just ask Ee Hsien, whose first ever foray into the world of filmmaking and storytelling was through a simple six second Lego animation he created when he was just 11 years old. Since then he has gone on to create multiple stop motion videos, short films, and even a theatre production. Listen to him share about his self-taught journey into this wonderful world of filmmaking, how he creates meaningful characters, and perhaps most importantly, how he brings the community together through his creative endeavors. 

Many young people nowadays find themselves caught up in a never ending-cycle of trying to catch up to the latest fashion trends and beauty standards, set by runway models and Instagram influencers. But are we simply our physical appearance and clothing choice, or is there more to who we are as people? Rebecca and Dani talk about comments they've received about their bodies which led to insecurities, how they are overcoming these insecurities, and how we should see ourselves and others past our body and the things we wear.