Not So Chic
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Not So Chic episodes

  • Why I Didn’t Go to My High School Graduation

    I’ve referenced the fact that I didn’t go to my high school graduation before, but I’ve never actually told you the full story of why.

    My senior year ended with an anonymous Instagram account, a “worst friend” superlative, hundreds of my classmates watching the whole thing unfold, a meeting with my principal, my parents pulling me out of school, and ultimately, me not walking at graduation.

    And somehow, six baby bunnies also almost get burned alive in the middle of all of this. You genuinely cannot make this shit up.

    But underneath the absolutely unhinged high school story is something I still think about years later: how easy it is to forget there’s an actual human being on the other side of a screen. We’re talking cyberbullying, teenage cruelty, mental health, the way schools handle—or don’t handle—these situations, and why you will never regret being kinder than necessary.

    Grab your blanket and sweet treat. This one is a STORY.

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    29 min
  • Let’s Talk About the Inevitable

    Grief is one of those things I’ve always been scared to talk about because there’s no perfect way to put it into words. But after losing my grandfather almost two years ago, I’ve realized just how little we actually talk about what it feels like to lose someone you love.

    In this episode, I’m opening up about my own experiences with loss, being with my Papa during his final moments, and everything grief has taught me since. I talk about the guilt, loneliness, and strange little moments no one prepares you for—like watching the rest of the world keep moving when yours feels like it has completely stopped.

    Most of all, I’ve learned that grief isn’t something we simply “get over.” It changes shape. Everyone can lose the same person and still be grieving an entirely different relationship, and no one else gets to decide how big of a piece that person occupied in your heart.

    This is an episode about loss, but more than anything, it’s about love—and how lucky we are to have people worth missing forever.

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    34 min
  • The Highlight Reel Problem

    The internet has never been more powerful—or more confusing. Every day we're bombarded with advice, opinions, AI-generated content, perfectly curated lives, and an endless stream of people telling us how to think, look, work, eat, and live.

    In this episode, I'm unpacking my complicated relationship with social media, why comparison has become an impossible game to win, why I believe digital literacy is just as important as financial literacy, and why the thing that scares me most isn't artificial intelligence—it's losing our ability to think for ourselves.

    Because the question isn't whether technology is good or bad.

    It's whether we can stay human while living alongside it.

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    34 min
  • Confessions of a Late Bloomer

    I spent years thinking I was behind. Behind on dating, behind on sex, behind on experience. So I tried to become the kind of girl who could do casual hookups without catching feelings… and completely lost myself in the process. Today we're talking about hookup culture, why so many of us confuse validation with intimacy, and the biggest lesson I've learned: there is nothing chic about abandoning yourself just to fit in. Plus, one of the most humiliating hookup stories of my life, Chic of the Week, Not So Chic, and Guest Therapy.

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    33 min
  • Respectfully... I Got the Ick

    This week we're talking about one of the most unserious—and strangely revealing—parts of modern dating: the ick.

    From men chasing ping pong balls to wearing Band-Aids, we've all experienced those completely irrational moments where attraction disappears in an instant. But what if the ick isn't always about them? What if sometimes it's about what closeness, kindness, or emotional availability brings up in us?

    In this episode, I'm unpacking the difference between an ick and a red flag, why I seem to get the ick from genuinely nice guys, how chasing can feel safer than receiving love, and why we so often mistake anxiety for chemistry. We talk about attachment, self-sabotage, wanting vs. needing in relationships, and how to tell the difference between intuition, discernment, and fear.

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    30 min
  • Comparison Is Stealing Your Joy

    Comparison has a way of making us feel like everyone else is ahead. In today's episode, we're talking about why we compare ourselves, the difference between comparison and jealousy, how to genuinely celebrate other people's success, and why your timeline was never meant to look like anyone else's.

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    28 min
  • To My Little Sister(s)

    Apparently being a big sister became my entire personality. This week we're talking about siblings, the people who become siblings, why I spent 23 years trying to save my little sister, and what happens when the caretaker finally learns to let go. Plus, Guest Therapy for anyone convinced they're behind in life.

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    35 min
  • The Mindset Shift That Actually Worked

    For years I thought confidence came from fitting in. Dressing like everyone else. Dating the "right" people. Chasing validation from strangers, boys, and anyone willing to tell me I was enough.

    Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong.

    In this episode, I'm talking about the biggest shift I've made over the last few years: learning how to live a life that's actually aligned with my values instead of everyone else's expectations. From outpatient therapy and value sorting to dressing for myself, dating authentically, and finally letting my inner child have a seat at the table, this is a conversation about what happens when you stop shrinking yourself just to belong.

    If you've ever felt like you're constantly performing a version of yourself that everyone else seems to like more than the real you, I hope this episode reminds you that the people who are meant for you will never require you to abandon yourself.

    Because the goal was never to fit in.

    It was to finally feel like yourself.

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    33 min
  • The Loneliness of Being an Old Soul

    I've been called an "old soul" for as long as I can remember, but for years it felt less like a compliment and more like a reminder that I never quite fit in.

    In this episode, I'm talking about what it was like growing up feeling different—being the kid who wanted tea at The Peninsula, spent recess in knitting club, obsessed over interior design before most people cared about decorating their bedrooms, and always seemed a few steps ahead emotionally. I share how being deeply observant shaped my friendships, dating life, career, and mental health, and why I spent so many years wishing I could just be like everyone else.

    We talk about loneliness, sensitivity, overthinking, finding your people, and the moment I finally stopped trying to outrun the parts of myself that made me different. Because while being an old soul can feel isolating, it can also be one of the greatest gifts you'll ever receive.

    If you've ever felt out of sync with the people around you, this one's for you.


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    26 min
  • I Don't Hate My Body, It's Just Complicated

    Body image isn't always self-hatred. Sometimes it's just constantly being aware of your body.

    In this episode, I share my experience with body image from ballet classes and dieting in middle school to gaining weight in college, losing it after graduation, and learning how to stop fighting myself every day. We talk about comparison, food noise, body neutrality, and why taking care of your body feels very different than trying to punish it.

    This isn't an episode about weight loss. It's an episode about making peace with yourself.

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    See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

    36 min

About Not So Chic

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by Elli Freeman, Not So Chic feels like a late-night FaceTime call about the parts of life that don’t always make it onto Instagram. From heartbreak, friendships, and identity to confidence,…