Started From The Sidelines

Your co-hosts are bemused as ever - this week, it’s British weather patterns causing the confusion. Sarah recounts her latest efforts to give her child the most enjoyable homeschool experience. In the process, she gives us all the most unshakeable earworm. Think you know the water cycle? Think again. Elsie then reflects on teaching undergrads in a pandemic and Sarah reminisces about her own undergraduate essays. They end this ode to academia with a compelling (and biased) case for Taylor Swif...

CN: rapeThis week, Sarah and Elsie unpack the phenomenon that is Bridgerton. Wading through the costumes, scandals, and sex, they chat about this popular and problematic Netflix hit. With a generous helping of spoilers, your co-hosts enthuse over the many elements that make this show a sensational experience, from its absurdly hot actors to its spectacular soundtrack. But the series is not all dishy men and beautiful dresses - talking about Bridgerton means talking about breaches of consent a...

In this week’s episode, Sarah and Elsie reflect on their podcast journey so far. From its humble beginnings as ‘just a bit of fun’, SFTS has become fundamental to their friendship (predictable!) and a CV centrepiece (somewhat surprising)! This episode offers a glimpse behind the curtain of a podcast created by two perfectionists: audio editing is a labour of painstaking precision and maintaining a social media presence takes meticulous curation. Your co-hosts then discuss how this perfectioni...

This week, your co-hosts are joined by their first ever guest: Elsie’s boyfriend, Savvas.With probing questions from Sarah, the pair are put on the spot and reflect on their relationship’s highs and lows. From domestic gripes that have been amplified by lockdown to fond memories of a somewhat unconventional start, this candid deep-dive leads to plenty of revelations - and lots of laughter. If you’ve ever wondered which three items they would want if they were stuck on a desert island together...

Sarah and Elsie are back! This week, we take on the thorny topic of feminism. Our conversation ranges from the importance of collective action to the problems and possibilities of insta-activism. An exclusive from Sarah, the latest victim to fall foul of Instagram’s new Terms of Service, makes this officially The Most Explicit Episode (Yet).Disclaimers: Sarah meant ‘An ABC of Equality’, not 'The ABCs of Activism', and Elsie talks with her mouthful (sorry).---An ABC of Equality:https://www.sma...

In part 2, Sarah and Elsie take one last look at 2020. Mulling over what we’re grateful for in the past year, and predicting what the new year holds for one another, we delve into some of our favourite topics: from motherhood and love, to mental health and friendship. Cue the tears and laughter in equal measure.This unedited, raw, no-holds-barred episode sees some scandalous secrets revealed. Spoiler alert: Elsie can’t conjugate and Sarah doesn’t know what an adjective is.---insta: startedfro...

This week’s episode is a two-part ‘Ooh It’s The End Of The Year’ special! In part 1, Cheesy Elsie and Sooty Sarah struggle to make sense of French and Covid Tier regulations. We then reflect on our experiences of 2020 - discussing what we’ve learned about ourselves, and sharing our cynical-but-hopeful wishes for a post-pandemic world.---insta: startedfromthesidelinestwitter: startedfrompodfacebook: startedfromthesidelinesgmail: [email protected]

In this episode, our co-hosts struggle with the concept of numbers -- which episode are they actually recording? They certainly don't know. This week, Sarah and Elsie talk about text-speak, playground politics, gender norms, and baby toys that can only be described as traumatising. Also, Sarah won't shut up about her child.---insta: startedfromthesidelinestwitter: startedfrompodfacebook: startedfromthesidelinesgmail: [email protected]

Sarah and Elsie are back! The start of this second episode is seasoned with a pinch of listener feedback (lovely) and a sprinkling of ASMR (less lovely). This week, we discuss reading: how different books and authors - past and present - have affected us, and the difficulty of finding time to read for leisure when you’re studying literature. We talk about Marcus Rashford’s wonderful mission to enable disadvantaged children to enjoy books, and the BookTrust’s Christmas appeal which raises mone...

In the first ever episode of SFTS, Sarah and Elsie reminisce about the start of their sidelines-friendship, and how two years of joking about starting a podcast has become reality. The conversation then turns to our relationships with men – and with astrology – before the living legend that is Harry Styles takes centre stage. Finally, with Christmas on the horizon, there’s disagreement about how soon is too soon to start the Christmas hype. And babies. There is – of course – talk of babies.In...