Welcome to #Millennial Podcast!

#Millennial podcast is a weekly roundtable about our Generation Y experience. From news to politics and pop culture, a panel of friends digs in on why these stories matter and how they affect millennials. 

If you’ve ever wondered how to maneuver student loan debt, voting, relationships, careers, or just life in general, we feel that SO. HARD. And we’re here to share our stories, along with our greatest challenges and wins, along the way. Put simply, #Millennial is about journeying through young adulthood together.

#Millennial Podcast releases a new episode every Wednesday!

We can’t do it without your support. Pledge on Patreon and receive great benefits in return. You can also sign up for a subscription and receive Mega #Millennial through Apple Podcasts.

About the Team

Andrew Sims (he/him) (Host, Producer, Editor) began podcasting when he founded MuggleCast in 2005. Outside of #Millennial and the Potter podcast, he works in podcasting full time and created a Patreon online course and Patreon book to help creators master the platform. In his spare time, Andrew obsesses over Bruce Springsteen, dogs, and nature. He and his boyfriend Pat co-own a local business, Vegas Stock Tank Pools.

Laura Tee (she/her) (Host, Producer) was bitten by the podcasting bug in 2006 when she first joined MuggleCast. Podcasting stuck with her through living abroad in Costa Rica (pura vida, mae) and graduate school in New York City. Outside of #Millennial, Laura loves linguistics, story-based gaming, and analyzing current affairs. She lives in Atlanta with her boyfriend and adorable dog, Canela.

Pamela Gocobachi (she/her) (Host, Producer) is a Bay Area native and an entertainment journalist with a deep love for all things pop culture. When she’s not writing or podcasting you can often find her obsessing over new music finds, drinking coffee like it’s her job, or doting over her dog Jasper.

Chloé Laverson (she/her) (Social Media Manager) is based in Washington, DC, and is originally from sunny San Diego, California. Chloé studied Communications with minors in French and Musical Theatre at the University of Utah. She is also the social media manager for Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, as well as the #Millennial team’s other podcast, MuggleCast. When Chloé is not creating content, she enjoys dancing, skiing, writing poetry, fashion, and watching the Harry Potter movies in French.

Episode #10×26: Kamala!, Why You Should Never Self-Diagnose, Tips For Therapy

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real COCONUT TREE talk!
  • “We did it Joe!” (Got you to stand down :/ )
  • Kamala Harris broke fundraising records in the 24 hours following Biden’s endorsement of her as the Democratic Presidential candidate. Are we feeling better about a Harris v Trump race than a Biden v Trump rematch?
  • Dr. Sarah Steelman joins the panel today to discuss the impacts of self-diagnosis via social media (namely TikTok). Please note that her contributions to today’s episode are not a replacement for therapy nor do they apply to everyone. 
  • A few weeks ago, Laura mentioned self-diagnosis via TikTok as a gripe, and Sarah followed up in our Facebook group agreeing based on her professional experience.
  • What are the consequences of self-diagnosis, and how often are professionals in the mental health space seeing this?
  • With increasing rates of diagnosed Autism and ADHD in general, has misdiagnosis or self-diagnosis contributed to existing structural issues in our healthcare system, like medication shortages?
  • Is there ever a case for medical advice on TikTok to be taken seriously? What if someone has limited or no access to healthcare resources?
  • What is the difference between a therapist and a psychiatrist?
  • Sarah shares several things that can help you get started with addressing your mental health concerns: Psychology Today for finding a therapist in your area, contacting your insurance for a referral list of covered providers, giving your new therapist 2-3 sessions to see if they’re a good fit, and come prepared with your questions about their therapeutic approach and scope of practice.
  • This week’s recommendations are part entertainment, part escapism: Veep on Max (Andrew), ‘Zero Escape: The Nonary Games’ (Laura), and Claim to Fame and Blood on the Clocktower (Sarah).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • Continuing our discussion with Sarah from the main show, we turn to bad medical advice being touted on social media.
  • With 55% of young adults regretting medical decisions they made based on misinformation online, how do we avoid getting pulled down these rabbit holes? Or are we the ones shoving garlic up our noses?
  • The beauty and fitness industries are infamous for this too, and those scams far pre-date social media. TikTok just makes it worse!

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Episode #10×25: America’s Having a Bad July, but the 2024 Olympics Will Cheer Us Up!

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk and the official podcast of the first millennial VP pick, JD Vance!
  • So has anything big happened the last few days? Asking for a friend.
  • Should Biden step down? The panel and Patrons listening live weigh in.
  • We don’t want to speak it into existence, but Biden making gaffes at every turn while Trump gets to look like a martyr is not good…
  • JD Vance (aka Trump’s mini me) was announced as Trump’s running mate in his election 2.0 bid. Does this pick actually do anything for Trump?
  • We make bets on the specific dates we think Biden will drop out of the race!
  • While Americans grapple with another upcoming unprecedented Presidential election, the French are dropping deuces in the river Seine ahead of the summer Olympics.
  • Why are French people pooptesting like this? Because the government has spent a whopping $1.55 billion to clean up the Seine ahead of the Olympics, where marathon and triathlon swimming are set to take place. Unfortunately, we’re two weeks out and the river still isn’t safe to swim in, even discounting the Parisian Poop Protest.
  • As an unpopular political leader, why would you announce the date you’re going to take a dip in the river? How did Macron not see this coming?
  • Which Olympic sports will we be paying attention to, and what sports are new to this year’s Olympics?
  • This week’s recommendations are entertainment focused, in addition to asking a favor: ‘Your Honor’ on Netflix (Andrew), ‘The Redeem Team’ on Netflix (Pam), and a request from Laura to please subscribe to our family of podcast channels on YouTube! Millennial | What the Hype?! | MuggleCast. Subscribing to these channels is FREE and really helps us out! Thank you so much!

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • Is it ever a good idea to try and out strangers on TikTok for suspected cheating? Is doing this driving accountability, or just a culture of surveillance and punishment?
  • You can’t possibly know all of the variables involved in a stranger’s romantic entanglements, and putting them on blast without having all the facts is pretty risky y’all.
  • One of our panel speaks from personal experience about being cheated on and how it would not have been helpful to find out about it through TikTok.

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Episode #10×24: Should Phones Be Banned in Schools? feat. Teachers Chelsea and Amy

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real cellphones in classrooms talk!
  • Note: We’ll be off next week due to the 4th of July falling around our usual episode prep time. See you the week after!
  • That disastrous debate, and those disastrous SCOTUS rulings. Oof.
  • We’re joined by listeners and experienced teachers Chelsea and Amy to discuss the latest trends of cell phone bans across US schools.
  • Chelsea and Amy help us understand what the biggest distractions are in classrooms with cell phones, and share their own opinions on cell phone bans in schools.
  • They provide helpful context that isn’t apparent if you don’t have kids or aren’t in the classroom: in the post-covid era, many kids are struggling with extreme addiction to their phones and social media.
  • Do cell phones help or hurt in the event of an active shooter scenario?
  • Other teachers submitted feedback, and it seems there is a consensus: cell phones are majorly disruptive in schools, but enacting laws around phone usage in schools is a complicated conversation.
  • How do teachers navigate keeping their personal social media private?
  • Are we connected with any of our school teachers on socials?
  • This week’s recommendations are across the board: Those Who Can’t Do (Andrew), ‘The Bear’ on Hulu (Pam), ‘Pearl’ on Amazon Prime, Crocheting (Chelsea), and the ‘Hades x Persephone Saga’ by Scarlett St. Clair (Amy).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • Chelsea and Amy hang out to spill the tea about the dumbest reasons students have gotten detention or been suspended.
  • We have some stories of our own, and we feel like an injustice was done to us!
  • No, sprinkling your special green herb on food is NOT going to do anything for you…

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Episode #10×23: Glue on Pizza? Big Tech Forces Bad AI Features On Us, AI Andrew Rises

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real AI talk!
  • What does Open AI’s recent introduction of ChatGPT as a live translator mean for accessibility and for translators?
  • Google has also rolled out its own AI search results assistant and it is… still in need of some work. “Use glue on your pizza to make the cheese stick, according to fucksmith on Reddit!”
  • All of Meta’s products now have an AI chatbot integrated – why aren’t we allowed to opt-in on these new features? Andrew doesn’t want to see laughing babies when he’s trying to stalk Laura on insta!
  • In DC, lawmakers have taken notice of the increase in AI deepfake porn and are looking to put a stop to it!
  • While Sen. Dick Durbin’s attempt to introduce a bipartisan bill turned out to be too broad, Ted Cruz (R-TX, and the most hated Senator on both sides of the aisle) is sponsoring the Take It Down Act. 
  • To illustrate the impact of AI porn deepfakes, we look at a recent example involving actor Jacob Elordi, whose face was used on the body of a minor in a deepfake. Posts of this deepfake were viewed more than 3 million times on Twitter.
  • And deepfake voice AI is coming to create misinformation in our upcoming election season. :/
  • The FCC has made it illegal to make robocalls using AI-generated deepfakes, and is even proposing a $6 million fine for Biden deepfake robocalls that were made during the NH primary. But how does this address robocall deepfakes from overseas?
  • The treat of the week: Andrew introduces us to his Riverside generated AI voice, and the results range from “that does not sound like you” to “why do you sound Australian?”
  • This week’s recommendations are good for the wallet and the soul: Spotify’s new BASIC plan to avoid price hikes (Andrew), Marco Polo app (Pam), and Getaway.house (Laura).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • It’s another Patreon “Surprise Bitch!” edition. We hope you’re ready for our call and unhinged questions!
  • Turns out, many people don’t have the stomach to watch this week’s Presidential Debate. Don’t blame you!
  • FMK: Biden, Trump, Clinton (we think this one’s pretty obvious).
  • What do you wish we’d never talk about on the pod again?

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Episode #10×22: Americans Are Saying No To Price Hikes, 2024 Presidential Debate Features New Rules

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk with your PALs!
  • Let Laura live: keep her secret third space secret!
  • Check out our latest episode reactions to Bridgerton and The Boys over on the What the Hype YouTube!
  • We did it Joe! Prices are starting to come down at big box retailers across the country. Splurge on that avocado topping at Chipotle with the .50 cents you’ll save at Target…
  • It also turns out fast food restaurants have been pulling a fast one with price hikes that outpace inflation, so they’re dropping some prices too.
  • 80% of Americans consider fast food a luxury – are we among them?
  • Frustrated at the lack of consistent body cam use amongst law enforcement? Never fear, employees at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s are picking up the mantle in the name of thwarting shop lifting.
  • “If I’m making $8 an hour I don’t care about your shoplifting woes.”
  • Quick newsy hits: Hunter Biden, Mifepristone, ‘Trump too small’ trademark, and European parliamentary elections. Look at the historical parallels to 2016, your butthole will pucker, we guarantee it.
  • What to expect from next week’s first Presidential debate – and will Trump show up?
  • Hot off the press are this week’s recommendations: ‘Inside Out 2’ (Andrew and Pam) and purchasing your spices and herbs at your local farmer’s market (Laura).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • Now that we’re getting older, what “boomer complaints” do we have to share with the youths?
  • Not everything needs a subscription, and not every aspect of life needs to be documented on social media!
  • The music’s too damn loud in here, and don’t you dare listen to music in public without headphones!

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Episode #10×21: Another ‘Hunger Games’ Spinoff, The Benefits of ‘Third Spaces’ and How to Find Them

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and REAL talk!
  • Welcome back Micah! It must be an election year – we’ll see you again in 2026. 😉
  • BREAKING NEWS: The team behind #Millennial and MuggleCast has launched a new pop-culture centric show – What the Hype?! is the third podcast baby we’ve been ruminating on for quite some time. Join us on this next podcasting journey!
  • Want a taste of what to expect on What the Hype?! Look no further than today’s discussion of the recently announced Hunger Games spinoff.
  • Does it feel icky that Scholastic and Lionsgate made this joint announcement, introducing an upcoming novel that is already in the early stages of being adapted to a film?
  • Everyone loves an origin story, right? Or do they?
  • How does ‘Hunger Games’ compare to other major literary/film fandoms, like ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Twilight?’
  • #Millennial decides 2024: the results are in, and our Patrons have decreed that the official name for our listeners is…. PALs! (Like Pam, Andrew, Laura, get it?)
  • What’s a third space? If you didn’t know this term, you’re not the only one. Third places are settings a person frequents beyond their home (the first place) and work (the second place).
  • If you’re now realizing you don’t have a third space, you’re also not alone! Many third spaces were shuttering even before the pandemic, and now that we’re accustomed to being at home even more post-COVID, it’s harder to get back in the habit.
  • Andrew and Pam are our resident third space girlies, while Laura and Micah realize they are… lacking in the third space department. Oops.
  • Andrew, a very supportive and wise friend, gives Laura some real talk that she can’t make podcasting her ONLY third space.
  • What are some tips that can help people find new third spaces? MeetUp, joining a book club, joining local Facebook groups and subreddits.
  • There’s no theme to this week’s recommendations sorry not sorry: SpotMyUV stickers for knowing when it’s time to reapply sunscreen (Andrew), Noteful for taking physical notes on your tablet (Pam), ‘The Boys’ season 4 on Amazon Prime (Laura), and our first few episodes of What the Hype?! and the book The Mindful Body (Micah).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • We reflect (and lament) the passage of time, inspired by this satirical piece from the New Yorker. 
  • Where did the time go? One minute we were the youth, and now we’re just waiting for the younger generations to come up with the millennial equivalent of “Ok Boomer.”
  • Some shit that feels like happened yesterday happened well over a decade ago, and we’re shook.
  • But now the tea: what cosmetic procedures are Andrew and Laura getting ready to do because #vanity.

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Episode #10×20: Jennifer Ruined Quiet Vacationing For Everyone

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk! 
  • There are 34 reasons why we’re excited today but we can’t… quite… put our finger on it… 
  • OH YEAH! Some small modicum of justice was finally served – and it basically cured Laura’s covid! 
  • Dammit Jennifer: How a CNBC reporter put us all on blast and made our bosses suspicious of quiet vacationing. THANKS FOR RUINING IT JENNIFER! 
  • Have we ever quiet vacationed, and is there a way to do it right? Do we actually believe the aesthetic we often see portrayed of people quiet vacationing on a beach? 
  • While 46% of US workers don’t take all of their paid time off due to being worried about falling behind or missing out on promotions, we’re pleased to report that 74% of listeners responding to a #Millennial poll take ALL their PTO! 
  • Speaking of travel, we’re a little shook at the takes some vacationers have on the unspoken rules of travel… 
  • Is Andrew going to hell for storing his carry-on in the overhead bin? Laura says YES. 
  • Seat reclining on airplanes will forever be a controversial topic, we all know where our lines are drawn in the sand. 
  • What are our travel pet peeves? People rushing the airline gate, getting on planes when OBVIOUSLY sick, and listening to music without headphones! 
  • This week’s recommendations are a HEAD CARE edition: Hims Hair Loss Treatment (Andrew), Ice face rollers (Pam), and Eye massaging masks (Laura). 

And in this week’s installment of After Dark: 

  • What words are people muting on Bumble nowadays, and what key words would WE mute? 
  • We review our own dating profiles to reflect on what is most cringe about how we present ourselves to potential dates. 
  • “Guess what my shitty former friend said was WRONG with me based on my Bumble BFF profile.”

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Episode #10×19: The Exciting but Miserable Life of Freelancing

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real freelance talk!
  • First things first! We’re pouring one out for Laura Tee, who couldn’t make this week’s show due to COVID.
  • In Laura’s absence, Andrew and Pam open up about life as full time freelancers. 
  • Our discussion this week is inspired by a few questions we got about what it’s like working in freelance full-time. We hope this chat helps anyone else out there looking to make the switch to self-employment!
  • We kick things off on a positive note and detail the upsides of freelancing. The perks include flexible schedules, working from home (or from anywhere you want/can!), and following your passions.
  • Are Pam and Andrew really happy working freelance full-time?
  • How do we combat the fear of knowing our jobs aren’t guaranteed in the same way that working a traditional corporate job is?
  • Have we ever had to chase down clients who just don’t pay us on time?
  • Elsewhere, the topic of 401Ks and healthcare comes up when we dig into the downsides of life as freelancers.
  • How do we go about securing health care? How about saving for retirement?
  • Ultimately, would Pam and Andrew recommend going freelance to others in the year 2024?
  • To wrap things up, we take a few questions from listeners:
  • What do we wish we knew at the beginning of our careers?
  • How do we show people we’re capable of doing the job they want?
  • How do we battle imposter syndrome?
  • Do we stress out about not having a consistent paycheck?
  • This week’s recommendations include: Wave Invoicing (Andrew) for an easy-to-use system to draw up professional invoices, and Whole Foods’ coffee bar (Pam) in lieu of chains for more affordable coffee.

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • Our Friend Series continues, and this week we’re tackling the tough topic of lending friends money.
  • To kick things off, Andrew shares a personal story in relation to this week’s AD theme
  • Have we ever had friends ask to borrow large sums of money? And what do we do when they don’t pay it back?
  • What about when it comes to lower stakes instances like spotting a friend for coffee or lunch
  • How late is too late to ask your buddy to Venmo you back for that dinner you put on your card? Asking for a friend (no really– we are!)

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Episode #10×18: How to Make Great Coffee at Home, ft. Spencer of Atomic Coffee

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real COFFEE talk!
  • Spencer Mahoney of Atomic Coffee Roasters joins us to talk all things coffee business, blowing up on TikTok, craft coffee culture, and more!
  • Whether you’re a caffeine aficionado or a total newbie, Spender has recommendations for what and how you can order your next cup o’ joe.
  • Do we really need to go to a craft shop to get a solid brew, or can we make the magic happen at home?
  • Do indie or “hipster” coffee shops intimidate everyone, or just us?
  • Spencer makes recommendations to US based on our preferred flavor profiles!
  • How do we prefer our coffee? On the scale of “black like my soul” to “dessert”, we’re closer to wanting our coffee to taste like coffee.
  • With the lingo that Pam is throwing down, Spencer confirms that Pam is a real barista who truly knows her stuff.
  • When we’re not caffeinating, what drinks are we looking forward to in the summer? (Diet Coke counts as caffeination Laura, PICK SOMETHING ELSE!)
  • Our summer alcoholic beverages of choice: Truly (watermelon or grapefruit), High Noon pineapple vodka soda, and Red Stripe (hooray beer!)
  • We want to name you listeners. Stay tuned.
  • In this week’s recommendations Pam and Laura prepare you for summer and Andrew joins the 21st century: protect your pets from the heat (or else Laura will break your car windows to rescue your furry friends), Vacation Super Spritz face mist (Pam), and the GoveeLife Smart Electric Kettle (Andrew).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • We had so much fun with our “Surprise Bitch!” revival last week, we decided to call a few more people and ask…
  • “What’s your problem with Andrew? We’re making a list.”
  • “If Pam and Laura were drowning and you could only save one, who would it be?”
  • “What do you hate about the show?”

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Episode #10×17: The GOOD Parts of Growing Up Millennial

  • Welcome to #Millennial, the home of pretend adulting and real talk!
  • The internet had some real talk for Watcher Entertainment in the wake of its announcement it was leaving YouTube and paywalling its previously free content. The response from their fans was swift and harsh, leading to Watcher rolling back its new model.
  • Laura’s been a fan of the Watcher team for years, and was disappointed by their approach to pivot to a 100% paid subscription model. The lack of consideration for their paid supporters on Patreon and the push to put past and future content behind a paywall showed a disconnect with where their audience is at currently.
  • What content are we looking for from our favorite parasocial relationships? We hear it again and again – authenticity is waaaaay more important than production value.
  •  Reddit inspired us to take a more sunny approach towards the millennial experience by asking ourselves, “what are the best things about being a millennial?”
  • The internet just hit different back in our day – we all hid behind weird screen names and avatars.
  • Are millennials the most adaptable generation when it comes to technology?
  • We (especially Andrew) count our blessings that our cringiest youth moments weren’t documented to be judged for all eternity. #findandrewssimsgf
  • Tbh we were feral as kids, roaming the neighborhood and getting into mischief until the street lights came on (and sometimes after).
  • We’ve got entertainment recs for y’all this week! ‘Gen V’ on Amazon Prime (Laura), ‘Pen15’ on Hulu (Pam), and ‘Challengers’ (Andrew).

And in this week’s installment of After Dark, available on Patreon and Apple Podcasts:

  • Remember the really rude “Surprise Bitch!” segment we used to do back in the day? We’re resurrecting it for After Dark.
  • We’re randomly dialing up a few Patrons to ask them random questions like what basic thing they suck at, how they handle having a bad day, and what the last thing was they disagreed with us on.
  • “Andrew has bad taste in movies.” -A loyal listener giving it to Andrew straight.

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