As a college student trying to navigate life in a world almost post-pandemic, I typically find myself feeling stressed and burnt out by academic and extracurricular obligations. This stress can often manifest into both mental and physical insecurities that lead me to feel isolated in my emotions. When I’m struggling with my mental health, I often try to work through the issue alone by journaling what I’m feeling or distracting myself with a comforting movie or TV show. However, it can be very comforting to know that I’m not the only one struggling by listening to a podcast. That is why I’ve recently been obsessed with Emma Chamberlain’s podcast, “Anything Goes.”
Emma Chamberlain rose to internet stardom on YouTube in recent years and has taken social media by storm ever since. She’s made a name for herself as not only a content creator but a fashion icon, coffee connoisseur, and podcast host. I’ve been watching her videos since she first became popular on the platform, and I fell in love with her relatable and authentic persona. I would watch her driving vlogs which would always comfort me when I felt lonely. Her newer videos are simple yet comforting, similar to what she does on “Anything Goes.” Emma sits down in her closet and records a new episode every week that covers many topics, ranging from discussions on her mental health to random advice sessions where she reads listener-submitted questions. While the topics vary from episode to episode, they all have something in common: Emma is very open and transparent with her audience about how she is feeling and uses her experiences to relate to what her listeners are going through. Despite the occasional advertisement throughout the episodes, there are almost no cuts or edits while she is talking. This tactic makes her podcast feel more conversational, almost as if you were on a FaceTime call with your best friend. I love listening to “Anything Goes” while going on a walk, driving, riding the subway, or even working out.
There are several specific episodes of “Anything Goes” that have really helped me the most. “Advice session #13 (relationships) came out when I was going through a tough situation in a relationship. Her advice made me feel less alone and made my emotions at the time feel seen and validated. Another helpful episode regarding relationships is “break up? or no break up?”, where Emma analyzes different relationship situations that her fans sent in for her to read, and she gives advice on how to approach it. She’s made several episodes criticizing social media and elaborating on why she feels she needs a break (see “two weeks with no Tik Tok”, “why I deleted Twitter” and “the Instagram illusion”). If you just want to laugh, try listening to “pet peeves” or “poop anxiety.” For episodes regarding mental health, try “things feel weird rn”, “rock bottom” and “how am I really doing?” In these episodes, Emma gets very introspective about her mental health and why she was feeling down. Emma always provides her listeners with a chance to regain a positive perspective and helps her listeners feel more inspired and discover their self-worth.
Overall, “Anything Goes” by Emma Chamberlain is enjoyable and inspiring for all. There’s an episode for just about every mood you could be in. I look forward to new episodes every week and am surprised every time by how mature and respectful Emma is in her advice to her listeners. You can tell that she truly cares about the people who support her and that she wants the best for them. This podcast has helped me grow in so many ways and I can’t wait to see what Emma has in store for us.