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We’re kicking off our final episode of the year by revisiting our 2025 predictions to see who deserves bragging rights (and who needs to quietly log off). We also make some 2026 predictions, and can't wait to see how wrong Laura is this time a year from now!

Then we're getting reflective with a deep dive into personal values, resolutions, and themes for 2026, inspired by Brené Brown’s framework of choosing just two core values to guide your life. We unpack why clarity around values helps reduce shame, strengthens boundaries, and makes hard decisions easier, especially when life gets loud or uncomfortable. We get into how we plan to live these values in 2026, from setting firmer boundaries and protecting work-life balance to journaling, changing family dynamics, and choosing alignment over comfort.

And we've got your final 2025 recommendations locked and loaded: Santa Fe Style Salad with Chicken - Fresh Retail, Private Label, Foodservice (Andrew), giving the gift of time with you to a loved one this holiday season (Laura), and Softymo deep cleansing oil (Pam). 

And in this week's installment of After Dark, we go deeper into our values and share some recent life events and realizations that have helped firm up our values and our boundaries. 2026 will be the year of boundaries, self-advocacy, equity, and having absolutely zero patience for bullshit as we get older.

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This week we're rooting on Australia’s bold new experiment: a nationwide social media ban for teens under 16 (even though we're not quite sure how it's gonna work). With companies on the hook for massive fines, we break down how the government plans to enforce it, what apps are included, and how we would’ve handled this kind of restriction as teens ourselves. Would we support something similar in the U.S., and would parents actually help enforce it? We also talk VPN loopholes, whack-a-mole app workarounds, and the nostalgia of being slightly less online growing up.

We're also talking Hollywood’s latest attention-grabbing strategy: vertical micro-dramas. With Netflix’s bombshell bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery and streamers scrambling for our eyeballs, these 45-second, swipe-friendly “shows” are becoming a real investment. We discuss whether they work, why the “second screen problem” is driving this trend, and if TV has actually gotten worse, or if we’ve all just gotten too distracted.

We wrap with recs: Think of setting New Year’s themes, not resolutions (Andrew), vibration plates (Laura), and buying cleaning brush attachments for your drill head instead of buying a whole new cleaning appliance (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark:

We get some follow up tea on family holiday drama, and we ask each other some probing questions about ourselves inspired by Teen Vogue's list of 215 questions to ask your friends. What happens when we die? Which host almost ended up with Beverly as a name?

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This week we’re kicking things off with the latest chaos in the news: Costco is suing the Trump administration over tariffs, and why your relatives may be adjusting their spending limits this holiday season. Then we dive into the year-defining weirdness of 2025, starting with the rise of “6-7,” the phrase so big it reached Andrew’s young nephews and somehow became Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year (wtf). We look at whether millennials ever had any comparable internet-inspired brain rot, then broaden out to the phrases, moments, and cultural oddities that shaped 2025. We're crashing out over all the new slang that we don't understand, but we're "letting them" enjoy this 6-7 trend. Shoutout to the viral moments that made 2025, like cheaters being exposed at a Coldplay concert, America losing TikTok for half a day, and Kendrick Lamar obliterating Drake at the Super Bowl. We also revisit the Epstein Files, our favorite cities that trolled ICE this year, Dick Cheney’s non-mourned death, tariffs on literal penguins, and the recent Louvre robbery fiasco. 2025 may have felt like it was 300 years long, but all this and more was jam-packed into just 365 days.

Pam mentioned listening back to our episode on Jimmy Kimmel and the FCC - here it is (Episode 11x35)!

This week's recommendations: 'Heated Rivalry'  on HBO Max (Andrew), the Consumer Class Action Lawsuit Database (Laura), and exploring privately owned public spaces (POPS) in your city (Pam).

And in this week's installment of After Dark: Andrew has a Bumble BFF gossip update, and we’re talking about people crawling out of the woodwork for favors and why 2026 is all about embracing being a “villager.”

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This week, we’re guessing Andrew’s biological age (place your bets), diving into the political circus surrounding the imminent release of the Epstein files, and asking: is this another Russia-gate dud for Trump, or will we actually see some real fallout this time? Then, with the holiday season in full swing, we’re also talking about bang-for-your-buck activities: the kind that enrich your life without draining your wallet. Think day-pass mini golf, free museum days, sneaky movie-theater snack hacks, online courses, cheap social hangs, and the ultimate budget savior: libraries. We’ve also got tons of Pen Pal picks on the best low-cost, high-reward ways to spend your time, from swing dancing to community theater to Costco hot dogs (a classic).

We've also got some great budget friendly recommendations to look into ahead of the holidays: Uno Show 'em No Mercy (Andrew), One Night Ultimate Werewolf (Laura), and creative reuse centers (Pam).

And in this week's After Dark, available on Patreon:

We're unpacking how Gen Z and Millennials are revitalizing the cruise industry and why “mini cruises” might be the new go-to budget getaway. Cruise lines have been trying to modernize their offerings, including providing sex toys to guests?? 👀

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In light of recent air travel developments impacting Americans, this week Andrew and Pam are speaking to a flight attendant, Amanda, who shares the pro's and con's of taking on this always-on-the-go job! The travel opportunities are amazing, but is it worth being away from home so often? The good news is that it may be possible to fit it into your existing work life!

Plus, we discuss the some travel tips and why you shouldn't grow too concerned about the headlines you're seeing about travel delays in the media. In more fun travel news, where are people intending to travel to in 2026? (Also: Where can I get some cheap botox?) This and much more is discussed!

Elsewhere in the episode, we celebrate some good news for LGBTQ+ Americans, look on Senate Dems with disappointment, and drop recommendations for the savings app Oportun (Andrew) and Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ (Pam).

This week in After Dark, exclusively available on Patreon, we discuss the art of complaining, and how to be a better complainer so that your concerns don't haunt you for a lifetime. We also share some recent complaints we've shared with our friends, and what people probably don't like about us. Yes, it's time to look inward!

Please do tell us what you think people complain about regarding Andrew and Pam in the comments 👀

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Pledge on Patreon and receive lots of perks: ⁠https://patreon.com/millennial⁠

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It's a girls slumber party this week! Laura and Pam are keeping an eye on big elections in New York, Virginia, and California - if only Pam can avoid injuring herself.

Then, we asked our Pen PALs for any burning questions they have for us about the show or each other. We discussed things like where else in the world we'd move, what we would do if our therapist loved Trump, our go-to DoorDash orders, optimism levels for the future, and lots more!

Don't forget that you can become a BAE or higher Patreon and get this year's gift: A handwritten letter from your PALs! Visit ⁠Patreon.com/millennial⁠ and pledge by November 14 to receive yours!

This week in After Dark, the questions continue with topics include what types of signs we lean into for guidance (be it Hogwarts Houses or Zodiac), books we've been reading lately, and more!

Notice: No Hashing It Out this week.

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It’s election season (again), and we've got the scoop on what’s at stake, from Georgia’s high-stakes Public Service Commission races to California’s bold Prop 50 redistricting move. Meanwhile, SNAP benefits hang in the balance and Open Enrollment looms, making November a month where politics and real life collide. It's rough out here, y'all. Then, Andrew leads us into the world of gaming, where a new generation of players say video games are boosting problem-solving, friendships, and even mental health. We dig into whether those claims hold up, share our own gaming habits, and hear from listeners about the titles that have them hooked (from Hades 2 to Powerwash Simulator 2).

As always, we've got the best recommendations on deck: The Aura Frame (Andrew), Blue Prince (Laura), and checking out your local Library of Things (Pam).

And in this week’s After Dark: Pam makes the case for ranking your friends. Is it helpful self-awareness or emotional chaos? Let’s talk about why knowing your “besties hierarchy” might actually make you a better friend.

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Real talk… people are tired. In fact, 37% of Americans say they’ve taken vacation days just to rest (and honestly, same). Andrew’s finally acting like a grown-up and getting his blood work done (shoutout to Function Health for making it surprisingly fascinating). Then, we dive into TikTok’s newest productivity trend inspired by the gaming community: “Locking In.” From work and school to personal goals, Gen Z’s challenge to hyper-focus through the end of the year might just be the motivation we need. Plus, we’re bringing back one of our favorite traditions: this year’s physical gift for BAE Patrons and higher: a handwritten “Dear PAL” letter from the three of us, complete with a surprise digital perk to help you chill. Join the BAE level by Friday, November 7 and submit your order by November 14 to get yours at Patreon.com/Millennial. We also share our favorite productivity hacks from listeners and reveal what actually helps us lock in.

Per usual, we've got our top recommendations lined up for y'all: Function Health (Andrew), walking pads (Laura), and the Erin Condren Life Planner (Pam).

This week's After Dark is a casual installment where we ask our Discord community to tell us what to talk about. It shouldn't be a surprise that it turned into an impromptu MuggleSuck segment. Oops!

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This week, Jane Goodall has her Final Interview on Netflix, and we talk about this new series that's going to be super compelling has time moves on. Then, we’re checking back in on the world of AI and how it’s transforming classrooms (for better or worse). Is AI just the latest boogeyman for academic dishonesty, or are there ways it can actually be beneficial for students and teachers? Some educators are saving time on admin tasks and lesson planning, and even see a future where AI can serve as a tutor for students. But not everyone’s convinced it’s a good thing. Who remembers written exams in blue books? Some teachers are going old-school with testing  to combat students cheating on their work with AI.

We also hear directly from educators across the country about how AI is changing their classrooms. Some see it as a creative tool, others as a crutch that risks dulling students’ critical thinking. Are schools ready for this shift?

Per usual, we came prepared with our latest recommendations: Screw Chrome, switch to DuckDuckGo (Andrew), look at perfume sampler kits for an affordable way to find your new fragrance (Laura), and a reminder that it's vax season and time to get your updated flu and covid shots! (Pam)

And in this week's After Dark, we're declaring our midlife crises. What's in the Millennial Midlife Crisis Starter Pack™ for our subscribers? And we need to know if Botox qualifies as a midlife crisis, or just self-care. Asking for a friend. 👀

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This week, we’re cashing our imaginary $51 Amazon class-action checks and debating what ridiculous Prime purchase we’d blow it on. Meanwhile in D.C., Trump flirts with yet another government shutdown (spoiler: it shut down) and calls in his army of “yes men” while real federal workers brace for furloughs (or worse). We’re also breaking down what tariffs on lumber and furniture could mean for your next splurge, and why sometimes, splurging is exactly what your budget needs. From “buy it for life” items to guilty pleasures that bring us joy, we’re asking: when is it worth spending big in an uncertain economy?

Per usual, we've got recommendations handy: Hydration backpacks (Andrew), Netflix's 'Umbrella Academy' (Laura), and Orly in a snap quick dry top-coat formula (Pam).

And this week's installment of After Dark has TOO MUCH TEA to plug in front of the paywall. Let's just say it's a new edition of MuggleSuck...

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