Nostalgia isn't just a feeling — it's a design tool, a memory, a bridge between who we were and who we're becoming.

In this episode, we're diving into how nostalgia shapes design, creativity, and even our identity. It’s not just about vintage — it’s about memory, belonging, and building the future with pieces of the past.

Let’s talk about why we’re all obsessed with the past.

Let’s start with the dream: you’re doing something you love—painting, designing, writing, whatever—and you think, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if I could do this *full-time*?” For so many of us, that’s the ultimate goal, right? To turn our passion into our career.  

And when it happens, it feels magical. Suddenly, you’re being paid to do what you love! But then, something shifts. Deadlines creep in. The stakes get higher. And you realize...this isn’t just *fun* anymore.  

What makes our identity valuable? Is it the culture we carry? The gender roles we navigate? The way our experiences shape how the world sees us—or how we see ourselves?

In this episode, we’re diving into how identity functions as a kind of currency. How it opens doors, challenges us, and sometimes even limits us. Whether it’s about navigating traditions, challenging stereotypes, or embracing the complexity of being human, this conversation is all about understanding the worth we carry, simply by being who we are.

So grab your coffee, get comfortable, and let’s unpack this together.

We’re diving into a question that feels way too real for most of us: Does the grind ever stop?

You know the feeling, right? That constant pressure to keep going, keep producing, keep achieving—because if you’re not hustling, what are you even doing? But where does that mindset come from? And more importantly, is it actually helping us, or is it quietly burning us out?

In this episode, we’re unpacking the grind culture that so many of us live in—how society glorifies it, how it impacts our mental well-being, and how we can redefine what it means to be productive. It’s going to get personal, reflective, and hopefully, inspiring. 

Hadeer Omar is back to talks with nstudio but this time we will be discussing more about her participation during Film My Design.

She will be moderating the “Navigating the Digital Future: Technology’s Impact on the Arts” panel and also will be teaching her own masterclass during the festival called “A New Era of Storytelling Through Arts.” 

Let's dive right into it!

I am so excited to announce that i will be the exclusive podcast partner for film my design. FMD is the first and only design-film festival in the MENA region, held bi-annually in Cairo, Egypt. Leveraging Egypt’s strong, long-standing connection to the film world, FMD’s mission centers on telling inspiring, engaging, and thought-provoking stories on design, architecture and city life using film.

Our first guest is Basma Hamdy, designer, author, and educator from Egypt who specializes in Arabic typography and visual culture. She is the founding director of TypeAraby and co-author of Walls of Freedom: Street Art of the Egyptian Revolution (2014) and Khatt: Egypt’s Calligraphic Landscape (2018).

She will be moderating a panel during the event called “Material Cultures for Sustainable Living”. 

This panel discussion explores the innovative use of local materials to create environmentally responsible and culturally relevant design solutions.

What does "To Make is To Be" mean? 

It means that your being is what you use to make.

What you make comes from a deep innate nature of who you are.

How do you know when you've found it? Listen now to find out.

What does it mean to be a digital creator? having a voice that is heard by thousands, eyes on you and your life all the time, with endless expectations from you?

Amar Sibai, Lebanese digital creator and creative director , speaks to us on being relatable, genuine and creating a community through social media that transcends superficiality and one that becomes family in every sense of the word.

I would like to begin by saying that what is happening now is not normal.

It is not normal to scroll and see endless images of dead bodies, children without limbs, mothers identifying the bodes of their babies, fathers trying to get their families from under rubbles of bombed buildings, and so much more..

Palestine is justice. Palestine is righteousness. Palestine is goodness. Palestine is bravery. Palestine is hope. Palestine is powerful.

So many lessons can be learned from Palestinians.

So those who speak up for Palestine are just, truthful, righteous, brave, hopeful, powerful people.

Speak up for Palestine.

Everyone has their traumatic story. Behind every story though, is a teaching moment. It either changes you for the better or for the worse. It is your choice in the end.

Here I am sharing mine in hopes that you can find the silver lining in yours. 

Available on Apple Podcast, Anghami, Spotify & Youtube.

Production team: Seventh Era