Unswamped

8- Keira Doshi

Keira is a high school senior. She does theater, plays viola, and likes to listen and sing to music. Her favorite color is purple.
Short Description- Navigating Relationships, Self-Acceptance, and Achievement.
We discuss relationships, including the insecurities and pressures involved and how her confidence and self-acceptance have evolved from middle school to high school. We explore themes of achievement, discipline, motivation, and the balance between pursuing the need to be productive and enjoying life. We talk about Keira’s injury after losing her fingers in an accident and the challenges of sharing and understanding it with peers. Music, its influence, and how it ties into personal identity and enjoyment are also discussed. The interaction is a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections, and considerations.
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00 Starting the Conversation
01:07 Navigating Friendships and Relationships
04:15 Childhood Friendships and Their Impact
09:53 Arguments and Vulnerability
24:21 Introversion, Extroversion, and Social Interactions
27:08 The Concept of Neediness in Relationships
53:09 Navigating Post-Interaction Thoughts
55:03 Choosing and Enjoying Music
58:48 The Role of Lyrics in Music Appreciation
01:06:48 Balancing Discipline and Passion
01:24:24 The Joy of Theater and Performance
01:29:07 Understanding Passion and Achievement
01:38:08 Exploring Motivation and Discipline
01:38:52 The Role of Identity in Fitness
01:39:45 Questioning the Value of Achievements
01:40:19 Personal Reflections on Happiness
01:41:22 The Importance of Discipline
01:47:48 Balancing Fun and Responsibilities
01:49:59 Understanding Identity and Confidence
01:54:20 Coping with Trauma and Judgment
02:05:47 Thoughts on Parenting and Future
02:08:44 Morning Routines and Sleep Habits
02:16:27 Favorite Artists and Closing Remarks
Podbean Link: https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/keira-doshi/ 
Recorded in my room in the morning. Sunday, January 19, 2025.
 

7- Agastya Sridharan

Agastya is a first-year at Harvard University studying Econ and CS. Among many things, he was an accomplished debater/ISEF competitor, and is also a carnatic flutist.
Short description- Navigating High School: Debate, Human Connection, Parenting/Parents, Self-Direction, and Preparing for College.
In this episode, we talk about an array of topics including the benefits and challenges of debating, the meaning in friendships, and the way we should be in relationships. We discuss the balance between competitive drives and the mundane moments in life. We talk about supportive friendships and the importance of retaining individuality in the pursuit of achievement. We also talk about parents and relying on others beliefs, coping with stress and burnout, and our eating habits. Agastya also touches on how he felt after getting into Harvard, some of his favorite movies and TV shows, and his thoughts on ChatGPT.
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00:00 Beginning
00:02:05 Sanjana call/coincidence
00:04:37 ISEF and the Hotel Room
00:08:08 Being with people you vibe with
00:10:23 The Masterplan to Get The Girl
00:15:31 Experiences with Circuit Debate and Lincoln-Douglas (LD)
00:34:07 Parental Influence and Self-Directed Growth
00:59:03 Humans and Long-Term Problems
00:53:39 Does Going to a Good College Matter?
01:06:32 The Inflection Point
01:11:21 Randomly Calling Friends
01:21:01 What it Means
01:28:00 What it Feels like to Get into Harvard
01:44:54 Middle School
01:54:18 ChatGPT
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/agastya-sridharan/ 
Recorded in my room the morning of Sunday August 18, 2024.

6- Jarrad Phillips

Jarrad Phillips is a soccer and golf coach and has experience as an athletic trainer. In this episode, we talk about the healing power of movement and exercise. Coach Phillips shares personal experiences with delaying hip surgery through strength training and yoga, and I reflect on my own injury. We also touch on the roles of diet, sports, community engagement, and mental outlook in leading a healthy lifestyle. The latter part of the conversation explores deeper themes like spirituality, religious faith, and the impact of psychedelic experiences on personal beliefs.  
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00 Introduction and Initial Questions
00:42 Personal Experience with Injury and Exercise
03:04 Specific Injuries and Treatments
06:10 Diet in Recovery and Performance
08:06 The Importance of Sports and Community
14:55 Career Path and Role as an Athletic Trainer
18:04 Spirituality and Mental Health
28:55 Life and Gratitude
33:03 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/jarrad-phillips/ 
Recorded in Coach Phillips' classroom on the morning of Tuesday, April 9, 2024.

5- Vicky Li

Vicky is an artist and senior in high school. We talk about the akwardness of presenting yourself, friendship, and her best friend Keira. We discuss watching Netflix, TV shows, and movies. Then we talk about capitalism and the necessity to work, the relevance and purpose of rest and breaks, and discipline. We finally talk about relationships and marriage. We also venture into the concept of wasting time we have and the role of goals in our lives.  
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00:00: Presenting and being with others
00:05:36: Appreciation in friendship
00:11:48: Validating sadness or stress
00:14:14: Talking about Keira
00:14:37: Netflix
00:22:40: Goals, discipline, and breaks
00:29:14: Capitalism and the necessity of work
00:33:23: Art for Vicky
00:41:27: Maestro (spoiler alert)
00:51:26: Movies
01:02:22: Rewatching and rereading
01:07:36: The concept of wasting time
01:09:48: Consciousness of friendships
01:15:10: Romantic relationships
01:20:49: Marriage as commitment
01:33:44: Having no regrets
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/vicky-li/ 
Recorded in my room the morning of Tuesday May 27, 2024.

4- Sanjana Kumar

Sanjana Kumar is a first-year at Princeton, a big learner and an—although this is a subjective understanding of the word—prolific high schooler. In high school, she was part of many clubs and did many things outside of school as well. I ask her about how she views high school, others, and her work ethic. We talk about things that feel like a chore and I ask her if she ever feels like she needs to discipline herself to do her work. Ella Lee-Guest makes an appearance. We talked about the college admissions process, doing her essays, and the waiting; she also talks about why college is important to her. I ask her if she reads and how she produces time magically. She talks about her sleep habits and how her some of her favorite weeks of high school were the busiest—the adrenaline rush of getting everything done; sometimes you can’t do everything, planning her stuff ahead, scheduling, and calling a friend. Right when we were going to finish, we started recording again because Ella asked Sanjana a question about sleep. We proceeded to talk about maintaining her habits and being self-conscious.
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00:01: Testing
00:00:40: Perception, doing activities in high school
00:03:33: Sources of motivation
00:08:09: Seeing opportunity
00:12:58: Doing things you love
00:13:55: Senioritis, Ella
00:16:26: College admissions
00:21:13: Good college pressure
00:26:22: Why college
00:28:20: Reading
00:30:11: Productivity, and time management
00:34:06: Strategies
00:37:03: Sleep, habits, and self-consciousness
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/sanjana-kumar/ 
Recorded in a hotel room in Hyatt Place Fresno on the last day of our CHSSA State Championship tournament. It was morning of Sunday, April 14, 2024.

3- Khyber McFarland

Khyber McFarland is a skateboarder, a musician, and a high school senior. We talk about his hand injury. Then I ask him about being young and the differences in your age and school grade. He talks about his development of introversion, attraction as he's grown up, and how he and I were both class clowns at some point. We talk about not being able to connect with others and my imposter syndrome. He says its innate to be self-centered, and how it’s okay to care about yourself. He gives his thoughts on drama in high school. We talk about me being swamped and my food binge the night before. We talk about my indigestion and khyber’s physical speaking impediment; him and I’s thoughts on being tall; his thoughts on stress; my stress mentality for junior year, and comparison to others like Keira, Jason, Vicky, Jason, Brij (I've got to mention you guys here or else I think it'd be pretentious), “Agastya” and why you shouldn’t compare yourself to someone with a name like that; appreciating who you are instead of wanting what other people have; and on physical touch and male to male touch--I run off the bus before we finish that conversation.
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00:30: Beginning
00:02:43: Hand injury
00:05:17: Ages
00:11:44: Social buoyancy
00:20:08: Introversion development
00:22:51: Attraction
00:24:16: Class clown
00:30:50: Being different
00:35:06: Freshman orientation
00:39:31: Social infrastructure
00:44:35: Are you swamped?
01:01:08: Speaking our minds
01:08:52: Being tall
01:15:47: How stressful school has been
01:19:52: Khyber drops heat
01:20:54: Feeling personally disadvantaged
01:31:24: Age, again
01:33:31: Physical touch
01:37:21: Guy on guy
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/khyber-mcfarland/ 
Recorded in the Francis Parker music (practice) room afterschool Thursday, May 16, 2024.

2- Jared D'Onofrio

Jared D'Onofrio is an English and Creative Writing teacher, an almost ex-writer, and a could-be-life-of-the-party. We talk about drugs and why he thinks it might be good to take them when he's 80 years old. He talks about his thoughts on religion and shares the philosophy of life he came up with unconsciously while living life. We also talk about friends and how he is an "anti-social but not unfriendly" person. He also tells me about his thoughts on parenting and his own experience. In the end, I ask him a few rapid-fire questions. Among them are: how to develop a reading habit, is the bible real, and is the college admissions process a good thing?
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00:03: Beginning
00:00:39: Curiosity about drugs
00:07:39: Personal experiences and reflections
00:09:56: Connection to religion
00:18:49: The role of faith
00:32:02: Having a personal philosophy
00:38:54: Navigating friendships and social interactions
00:39:27: Understanding antisocial behavior
00:51:46: Parenting
01:01:20: Parenting practices and experiences
01:06:49: College and education
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/exploring-curiosity-faith-and-lifes-guiding-principles/ 
Recorded in the Francis Parker music (practice) room afterschool Monday, May 6, 2024.

1- York Bourgeois

York is a health nut, an experienced cross-country runner, and a first-year at Carnegie Mellon University now. Our conversation centers around self-improvement in the context of athletic performance and life. I ask him about nutrition and figuring out how to deal with food binging and injuries. He reflects on having a "why" behind our actions, and about trial and error in finding the right way to eat and train. We talk about comparison and York talks about how others were still faster than him even when he worked just as hard, if not more than them--he explains the way we should think about it.
Chapter Markers and Podbean Link:
00:00:01: Beginning
00:00:28: Nutrition and Running
00:05:48: Eating
00:07:12: Goals in Nutrition
00:12:59: Navigating Motivation
00:26:30: Comparison
00:31:23: Understanding Effort
00:37:23: Expectations and Self-Discovery
https://unswamped.podbean.com/e/navigating-nutrition-and-motivation-a-runners-perspective/ 
Recorded in the Francis Parker music (practice) room in the morning of Friday, April 5, 2024.