Overthinking Central

in this final episode of my mini-series, Overthinking Summer, we (prematurely) discuss the end of summer, why this season means so much to us and why each summer represents such a turning point in our lives.

I talk about the weather, about the passing of time

I'll be back on 12th August with some fresh episodes

in this sixth episode of Overthinking Summer, we're talking inner peace, hikes, tree hugging, yoga, cold plunges and spa breaks

We dive into the modern obsession with serenity and control (control freaks don't take a day off just because they are thrown into a hot tub).

why do we crave escape so badly?

why is it so hard to actually feel calm, even when we’ve ticked all the wellness boxes?

and finally, what does it say about us when relaxation feels more like a performance than a state of being?

If, like me, your alchohol consumption has spiked with the temperature, but you still aren't warming up to the idea of going clubbing, if you've ever woken up with the gut-wrenching feeling of ... "I don't remember anything from last night" (but your bank account remembers, £13 for a vodka coke, seriously?) and if you've ever gotten weird looks for ordering a fanta orange on a work pub trip, this is for you <3

In this fifth episode of Overthinking Summer, I explain why I don't really go out as much anymore, why I think GenZ might be turning away from clubbing and drinking culture, and what we’re looking for instead.

We love to talk about how travel broadens the mind but who gets to travel freely? And at what cost?

In this fourth episode of Overthinking Summer, I present my thoughts on the ethical tension behind tourism: how it can expand our horizons and exploit local communities at the same time

From overtourism in Venice to backpacking in Southeast Asia, we embark on a little podcast adventure to see how modern travel often replicates colonial patterns, drives up inequality, and contributes to environmental harm.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Your girl needs a bit of optimism, so we're also going to see what we can do about it on an individual level

Whether you’re planning your next trip or rethinking a past one, this episode invites you to step back and overthink the way we travel

Relevant links:

Beef

Trains

Ryanair Flights (data from 2019)

We’ve all heard it: “Are you beach body ready?” Behind the not-so-harmless/definitely-harmful advertising slogans lies a mess of contradictions, expectations, and double standards, especially for women. In this third episode of Overthinking Summer, we discuss the paradox of the “summer body,” from the pressure to be effortlessly beautiful and a good feminist, to the dilemma between self-love and societal standards.

Can you wear makeup just for yourself? Is shaving your legs a betrayal of your values? And what does it really mean to make choices for yourself in a world that’s already decided what you should look like?

We explore how beauty ideals are shaped by whiteness, how internalised standards affect us, and why real feminism isn’t about rejecting everything but about reclaiming our agency.

Welcome to Overthinking Summer: a 7-part mini-series exploring the complicated realities behind our favourite season. From body image to burnout, beach reads to party culture, we’re diving into the pressure, nostalgia, and contradictions of summertime.

In this second episode, we’re talking books: do we need them to look smart, or are glasses enough?

Just kidding. Glasses are never enough.

Books are empowering; they teach us so much about the world, how it works, and empathy.

But not everyone reads, so in this episode we look at who does? And surprise, girls read. A lot.

*unfortunately I had a small mic issue on this one which kicks in about 70% of the way in! sorry about that! hopefully it doesn't bother you*

Books discussed:

• Toni Morrison - Beloved
• Toni Morrison - Song of Solomon
• Ash Sarkar - Minority Rule
• Caroline Criado Perez - Invisble Women
• Owen Jones - Chavs

sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/mar/06/new-poll-finds-40-of-britons-have-not-read-a-book-in-the-past-year?CMP=share_btn_url

https://unherd.com/2021/05/publishing-is-now-a-leftist-bubble/

https://www.warwickeconomicssociety.com/unpaid-work#:~:text=This%20work%20has%20consistently%20fallen,1.5%20hours%20worked%20by%20men

https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/130388/html/#:~:text=Data%20from%20the%20Higher%20Education,female%20(UCAS%2C%202023).

Welcome to Overthinking Summer: a 7-part mini-series exploring the complicated realities behind our favourite season. From body image to burnout, beach reads to party culture, we’re diving into the pressure, nostalgia, and contradictions of summertime.

In this first episode, we’re starting with something a little unexpected: sadness.
Why do we sometimes feel low when everything around us screams sunshine and serotonin? Is it the pressure to be happy?

Or maybe just the (emotional) hangover of doing too much?

Let’s unpack the melancholy of a season that’s supposed to heal us and why sometimes, the sun doesn’t fix everything (i know i was also shocked by this).

Ever felt stuck in between? In between what, you may ask? I don't know. You just know you're in between phases, but you don't know what comes next.

In this episode, I reflect on a journal entry that made me realise I’ve been living in a kind of standstill for months. From career uncertainty and flat hunting to post-uni structure collapse and the dizzying disorientation of spring turning into summer, I unpack what it means to feel stuck, why progress often goes unnoticed, and how we can start shifting our perspective.

I'm back <3

in this episode, I discuss our (toxic?) relationship to labels and aesthetics

Apologies in advance for the mic quality! I don't know why I thought I could wing this with only my phone and the tiny fluffy mic rip

See you next week for a real episode!!