The Playground

Ever wondered how our relationships shape who we are? How social media changes the way we connect? Teen philosopher/blogger Connor explores how we connect, social media's impact, the importance of vulnerability and finding good in the world. This thought-provoking interview is a must-listen!

In this episode, we explore the world of astrophysics with Smriti, the mind behind the "ConnectEd" blog. Smriti shares what sparked her interest in astrophysics, her fascination with mind-bending concepts like time dilation and dark matter, the impact of recent discoveries, and offers invaluable advice for aspiring young astrophysicists. Join us as we discover the exciting world of astrophysics through her eyes.

In today’s episode, our ex-student and good friend, Parth is sharing his story about transitioning from high school to university. He is giving plenty of tips and tricks that he has learned along the way. As an international student, Parth has years of experience with different cultures and school systems, and now he is at Boston University, USA.

Listen to learn why 9th and 10th grades are important for planning your future, what to do when you don’t know what to do, how to choose a good school, what is the difference in the USA school system, and what is the best approach to get into the school you like.

This episode will give you valuable insight and information that could make a real difference in your future because Parth is also busting some myths and explaining what is really important to become a happy and successful student - and you might be surprised by some of his info.

Notes:
🌏 Parth is an international student: his journey from Israel, Dubai to Boston, USA. 01:16
😇 Start planning early: tactics and preparing for the courses and applications. 02:41
🤔How to figure out what you want to do and study: spark your interest and explore topics using these tools. 06:40
🧐 How to choose a university: 10th grade is the key, and don’t choose a school based on prestige. 09:56
3️⃣ Three categories of schools: safety schools, target schools and reach schools. 13:27
🤓 MIT and CIT are not looking only for good test scores: holistic application process and what that means for universities in the USA. 16:53
✍️ The importance of essays and aligning yourself with the university: people from the university are the best source of information. 20:42
👂 Power of listening and gathering information: different sources and spreadsheets. 25:22
🇺🇸 How Parth felt for the first time in Boston University, USA: culture shock, freedom, and doing all on your own. 26:46
🙃 Why personal and study discipline are important: don’t expect the perfect semester. 29:09
✌🏽 City exploring, meeting people, and winter break reflections: second-semester takeaways. 30:37
😎 Support for freshmen students in universities: connecting with other students similar to you. 32:12
🎯 Enjoy throughout this entire process: your future is filled with unlimited possibilities. 35:52

Connect with us:

https://ascendnow.org/

Parents have their own perspectives and look down on arts as not-so-good career choices such as law, medicine, or engineering. Shriya and Ishita talk about stereotypes of career choices in India and how they both overcome the challenges around art not being a good career path.

In this fascinating episode, Shriya shares her story about growing up without any pressure from her family, and Ishita is sharing her example of what usually happens to Indian kids when they’re trying to get into an artistic career.

No matter what you want to do in life, remember you need to have passion for it that will help you pass through the struggles of hard work. Life is about living, not surviving - so live it with your spread wings. If you are too scared, then find time to live your passion on the side or how ever you can, just don’t forget your talents!

Show notes:
🇮🇳 Shriya is an Indian who has never lived in India: coding and medicine as usual career choices. 01:26
🤗 No career pressure from Shriya’s family: from double science to acting. 02:33.
🕺🏽 Ishita and Shriya’s fathers were both acting, but then changed their career paths. 04:41
🎼 Ishita was raised to have coding as her backup, but actually writing music is at her core. 06:33
🏃🏽‍♀️ Running away from mathematics and STEM: the signs around Shriya and acceptance at NYU. 10:10
📱 Don’t waste your talent: Ishita is building an app for artists. 11:24
🧠 Rules and blackmail mindset - maneuver the mindset of parents. 13:00
🎯 There is no secure musical education in India - it all starts from education. 15:36
🆚 ‘What will they think of me” mindset vs. accepting music as a career choice. 17:37
🥥 Shriya is a half-open coconut. 20:13
😇 The influence of their fathers: writing and creativity that runs in these families.23:00
▶️ Go for it and take up your dream: don’t consider it as a plan B! 24:42
🔥 Shriya’s ‘For the Plot” philosophy: taking risks because we only live once. 25:49
!!️ Competition is in every career: when plan B is not a safe ground but a distraction from the real path. 27:11
⚡ The power of positive reassurance: how to deal with criticism around you. 30:44
👩🏽‍🎤 Stage anxiety and accent issues: copying Katy Perry, Beyoncé, and Rihanna’s pronunciation. 34:57
🦋 Spread your wings: Life is about living. 42:31
🌟 Don’t let your dream go: do it at least on the side. 44:50

Links
Connect with us : www.ascendnow.org

Shriya: https://instagram.com/3hriya?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Ishita: https://instagram.com/ishita.parakh?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

In this heartwarming episode of The Playground, we sit down with 16-year-old Muhammad Dadabai, the inspiring founder of Charity Connect BH, a website dedicated to raising awareness for charities in Bahrain. Muhammad shares his journey, the challenges of balancing school with his passion project, and the touching stories that kept him motivated. From organizing events for orphans to writing a research paper on charitable donations, Muhammad's dedication to making a difference is clear. Tune in to hear how one young man’s vision impacts lives and his plans for the future.