P's in a Pod

As her final goodbye to the show, Susan is alone at the mic to reflect on each of her four years on this campus. She describes what she has learned while being challenged every step of the way and offers a few pieces of advice to incoming and current students.

If you or anyone you know would like to continue the work of P's in a Pod, don't hesitate to reach out through our Instagram @psinapod.

Thank you to everyone who has made this show possible.

At Princeton, the word "career" can be pretty charged, with endless pressures and decisions to navigate. Susan and Nathan look back on how their ideas of careers have changed over time, what types of career pipelines circulate at Princeton, how their own career paths have changed, and advice they would give to their younger selves. They also discuss their career bucket lists, romanticizing what paths lie ahead of them.

Also, Susan chose the job over grad school!
This episode was recorded on April 26 and 28, 2023.

Princeton has 11 eating clubs, which are basically huge houses lined up on one street, unironically called "the Street," that provide dining and social spaces for upperclassmen. 6 of them require you to "bicker" to become members (think rushing for greek life but slightly more regulated). Co-ops, which are also mentioned in this episode, are another dining plan option where students alternate cooking for each other in a designated space. Susan and Nathan discuss their thoughts on eating clubs, bicker, and a new dining pilot that aims to increase upperclassmen dining options.

This episode may be somewhat of a time capsule, since it was recorded several months ago on September 25th, 2021. This was at a time when returning to campus and attending in-person classes was still a fairly recent event, and this was before the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Meet Imaan Khasru: third-year student from Bangladesh and Wales.  Imaan and Ava talk about how strange the transition to an in-person campus has been. Imaan also discusses colonialism in the world of fast fashion and microtrends, the Rana Plaza factory collapse, the history of the word "thug" by the British in India, and problematic campus language like referring to certain dorms as "the slums."

Links mentioned:
The True Cost (film)

Sponsored by Ringle

“Princeton” and “music” are often spoken in the same sentence when talking about our guest in today’s episode: Sam Spector! If you haven’t heard her music before, check her out using the links below and wait until the end of the episode to hear a spinnet of one of her songs! Jani, our in-house musician, also joins, and she, Ava, and Susan draft with Sam their favorite female artists of 2021. The group also discusses Sam’s recent musical successes. Speaking of which, GO SEE HER PERFORM LIVE AT TERRACE ON THE 16TH! The categories of this draft include 3 different genres, 1 wildcard, and 1 “underrated” category. It’s clear that all four women have different music tastes (though there is some overlap) so we’ll be interested to see which dinner table y’all vote as the most interesting. Susan is still salty that Nathan won against her in our last draft. Go follow us on Insta @psinapod to stay tuned for the vote!

Watch the full YouTube video here.

Check out Sam’s music: https://linktr.ee/samspectormusic
Follow Sam on Instagram @samspectormusic
Follow Jani on Instagram @janidumapit
Janielle on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ZD64...

Apply for the P’s in a Pod Network! Applications are due on September 10th.
Host application: https://forms.gle/6VwBfV4n15hdZiqM8
Producer application: https://forms.gle/CLAUnGZzoF21evP29
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Recent alumni Morgan Smith and Joe Ort join Nathan and Susan to "draft" Princeton alumni for their dream dinner tables. Listen as Susan roasts Nathan's picks, Nathan convinces himself that he can change the world, and Morgan and Joe prove that they've done more research than either of the hosts.

Video of this episode is found on our IGTV and Youtube!

*This was recorded on July 17, 2021.

Featured song: Sleepless Nights (feat. Phoelix) by Dinner Party

Meet Danielle Samake: a rising second-year Princeton student from Maplewood, New Jersey. Danielle shares how she has grappled with her tricultural identity as a Jamaican, Malian, and first-generation American. She asks us to reconsider the ways in which we ask too much of marginalized communities, discusses her experiences as a Black woman at Princeton, and imparts wise words on how she stays optimistic. A literary enthusiast, Danielle provides an entire shelf of book recommendations, to which Susan and Anna share a few as well.
*This episode was recorded on April 10, 2021.

Links mentioned:
The Loveland Foundation
Girls Learn International
Vikalp Sansthan
Jatan Sansthan
Danielle's blog

Danielle's book recommendations:

What We Lose  by Zinzi Clemmons
Swing Time  by Zadie Smith
Annihilation of Caste  by B. R. Ambedkar
Half the Sky  by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Becoming  by Michelle Obama
Sexual Citizens  by Jennifer S. Hirsch and Shamus Khan

Listen to the 10 lessons learned podcast

Meet Jani Dumapit: a second-year student and graphic designer of P’s in a Pod. A singer-songwriter herself, Jani shares her journey with music, from the beginning to producing her very first EP this year. Coming from New York City, she discusses her experience with the public school system and the different phases she went through growing up.  A member of the Limits Matter task force at Princeton, she gives her take on healthy and safe drinking. Jani, a resident Swiftie, also delivers her opinion on her favorite song by Taylor.

*This episode was recorded on March 20, 2021.

Links mentioned:
Listen to Jani's EP rose colored  glasses 
Chinese Satellite by Phoebe Bridgers
UMatter
Legal Outreach

Meet Vignesh Panchanatham: Princeton junior from Cupertino, CA. Vignesh sits down with Nathan as they consider where they see their future selves, discussing the merits of city versus suburb and whether they would send their children to private or public school. As an avid cook and baker, he plans out a hypothetical dinner party itinerary "Come Dine With Me"-style, beginning with appetizers and ending with dessert plus entertainment.  He also shares tips for prospective chess players, an explanation of ultimate frisbee and its similarities (or lack thereof?) to netball, and how he goes about maintaining an inbox with no more than 10 emails on any given day.

Links Mentioned:
The Marshall Project
Watch Come Dine With Me
Chess.com
weChess

For the first episode of Season 4, hosts Susan Baek, Ava Vilensky, and Nathan Gage tune in from quarantine at Princeton. Returning for the first time in a year, the group discusses everything  campus life — from the best dining hall meals, to their favorite spots on campus, to eating clubs and bicker. The hosts also offer recommendations on their latest music finds, TV shows, and YouTubers. 

*This episode was recorded on February 13, 2020.

Links mentioned:
The Zac and Jay Show
Chloe x Halle: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert
Claudia Sulewski

Nick Padmanabhan, the very first guest of P's in a Pod on Season 1, and Suniya Nsehti, a guest on a summer episode in Season 2, return for the finale of Season 3. After reflecting on what has changed since their original episodes, Nick and Suniya join Nathan, Alisha, and Susan for a discussion on the Capital riots, the power of private companies to control the use of their platforms, and the progress of Mars exploration. The group looks ahead to a new year, making predictions for 2021 and thinking about what they want their future selves to know about their current selves.

*This episode was recorded on January 13, 2020.

Meet Srishti Ghosh: second-year student from Dubai. Srishti discusses how politics has largely become perception and bonds with Ava over their love for baking. An advocate for women empowerment, Srishti has a candid conversation with the other three women on the call about feelings of guilt when it comes to being a "bad" feminist and struggles approaching jealousy and competition among women in male-dominant spaces. Srishti also delivers her hot takes on sparkling water and potato chips, gives her perspective on positivity, and asks the group about the ever-changing dynamics of social media platforms.
*This episode was recorded on December 19, 2020.

Links mentioned:
Future Hope
Dream Children's Home
@nikandlily on Instagram
Alta Mar (High Seas) on Netflix
Las Chicas del Cable (Cable Girls) on Netflix

Meet Daniel Drake: first-year student from Covington, Washington. A future SNL-hopeful, Daniel discusses "personal narrativism", a term he has dubbed for the phenomenon that people are increasingly thinking their lives are like a movie. Passionate about comedy and performance, Daniel performs stand-up (or "sit-down") and delivers a couple of impressions at Susan's request. The two also debate Harry Potter films, weigh the loneliness and social phobias of online school, and explore Daniel's love for maps.
*This episode was recorded on October 31, 2020.

Links mentioned:

Watch The Social Dilemma on Netflix
Watch I'm Thinking of Ending Things on Netflix

Meet Katherine Brubaker: gap-year student from Orange County, CA. Our first gap-year guest shares some insights into what led her to make the decision to take a year off, her experience as a field organizer for the Biden campaign, and what she has planned for the rest of the year. As a vegetarian-turned-pescatarian, she also discusses the environmental implications of meat consumption and the ineffective nature of scare tactics in bringing about real environmental change. Katherine offers up a feminist critique of Twilight, her opinion on low-rise jeans, and what qualities she values in her relationships.
*This episode was recorded on October 18, 2020.

Listen to Just Get A Real Job

Links Mentioned:
Watch Normal People on Hulu
Donate to The International Community Foundation

Meet Adwoa Afrifa: Princeton first-year from Accra, Ghana. She shares her passion for female empowerment and the End SARS movement and highlights the importance of using one’s platform to address such issues. Adwoa and Nathan, both international students, discuss their perspectives on private schools and how their views of the United States have changed over time. While they agree that American football is inaptly named, they disagree on the merits of various shoe brands and the correct ranking of pizza, pasta, and pancakes.
*This episode was recorded on October 24, 2020.

Listen to Why People Do What They Do

Links mentioned:
When Women Rise
Diaspora Support 4 #EndSARS
Fit Your Values
Feminist Coalition
Free Your Mind podcast

Ghanian film director mentioned:
Shirley Frimpong-Manso

Meet Julie Wilson: Princeton sophomore from Newton, MA. She sits down with Ava to discuss how her private school background has influenced her belief in the importance of access to quality public education. As a pre-med student interested in psychology, she also shares how her intersecting passions for science and childhood development have led her to pursue pediatrics. Tune in to hear about her childhood obsession with rabbits, her opinion on manicured lawns, advice for current freshmen, and her answer to the classic question: do pineapples belong on pizza?!
*This episode was recorded on September 19, 2020.

Listen to Make a Change

Links mentioned:
Listen to Let's Talk About from the Pace Center
Article on celebrities' lawns during California's drought
Listen to Nice White Parents from Serial & The New York Times
Donate to Cradles to Crayons: https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/donate-now 

Meet Kelton Chastulik: Princeton senior from Chambersburg, PA. He shares his experience attending Princeton after growing up in a blue-collar family, in a community where "Princeton" is usually an unknown term. As an FLI student athlete from a semi-rural town, Kelton discusses the importance of exploring the intersection of complex identities that are often undermined by stereotypes. Listen as he shares with Nathan and Susan his passion for community service both on campus and in his hometown, his hot take on the importance of writing sem, and his love for listening to music.
*This episode was recorded on October 10, 2020.

Buy your own If I Was President card game: ifiwasgame.com
Check out Tell Me About Your Job: https://tellmeaboutyourjobpodcast.com/

Links mentioned:
"Ivy League Athletics are the new 'Moneyball'" by Liam O'Connor, The Daily Princetonian
"Going home to 'Trump's America'" by Madison Mellinger, The Daily Princetonian
WhoSampled
Taiye Selasi's Ted Talk on local identity
Chambersburg Holiday Book Drive: Website, Facebook
Kalos Academy

Books mentioned:
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
Acid for the Children by Flea
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

Meet (finally) our executive producer, Alisha Somani '23. She joins Susan to tell the story of P's in a Pod, discuss their vision for the podcast (and network) moving forward, describe how they have navigated working together while remaining close friends, and answer questions from listeners. Stay tuned for an exciting Season 3, and follow us on Insta @psinapod to stay updated with our mission and some exciting upcoming news!

Apply to become an Advising Fellow for Matriculate: matriculate.org/apply
Check out Feature Female: featurefemale.com
Fill this out if you would like to be a guest on Season 3: https://forms.gle/Mx6safdYgcSX3gRD9

Ella Gantman '23 is a goalkeeper for Princeton women's soccer. Jovan Aigbekaen '23 is a hurdler for Princeton men's track and field. Nicholas No '22 is a sabreur for Princeton men's fencing. The three of them join Susan (2:27) to discuss their Perspectives on entering the fall without sports (4:34), pros and cons of Princeton's athletics and overall institution (21:46), and their personal experiences as minorities on campus (40:22). The students then baffle at the University's most recent decision to go fully online (53:18) and learn how students can sign up to be poll workers for November (58:13). Finally, the students answer your Pitched questions (1:00:17), determining whether or not non-athletes can ride scooters on campus, first-year regrets, tips on virtual learning, media recs, and how each athlete got into their sport.

Sign up to be a poll worker: https://www.pollhero.org/
Join Instacart and get your groceries safely delivered today: https://instacart.oloiyb.net/psinapod

Rohan Jasani '23 and Aparna Shankar '21 are two of the many international students at Princeton. They join Susan (2:30) to discuss their Perspectives on quarantine (3:59), Perceptions of both American and Princetonian cultures (6:18), and the unique space that international students hold at an American university (22:47). They also answer all of your juicy, Pitched questions (30:24), including if Rohan is single, the strangeness of American small talk, thoughts regarding ICE's announcement, and movie/TV recommendations. Finally, the three students discuss Hollywood's enormous cultural capital (54:14) and relate to the peculiar feeling of pride when POCs reach the big screen.

Join Instacart today for safe and easy grocery delivery (all affiliate proceeds that do not directly fund the production of P's in a Pod will be donated): https://instacart.oloiyb.net/psinapod