Student-created podcasts have become a trend at Loyola as a pathway to expressing thoughts and as a relief mechanism for those in quarantine. Recently, seniors Cyrus Ghoreichi and Davis Rothman and junior Joseph Lawrence released “Premier League Prime Time”; seniors Jesse Troyer, Matthew Kim and Ben Newbern created “Cubs Walking With Cubs”; and seniors Owen Guilford and Spencer Roberts published “OG and YB Adventures.”
The “Premier League Prime Time” members give detailed analyses of weekly Premier League fixtures, predict outcomes of future games, discuss transfer rumors and other important events surrounding England’s top soccer league. It was kickstarted with the intent of giving a youthful perspective on current league news.
Rothman said, “I didn’t want people to hear pundits just talk about how the players of teams they like are good, and those they don’t like are bad. We were motivated to create the podcast because we love watching and following the Premier League and have been doing so for the majority of our lives.”
“Cubs Walking With Cubs” is another Loyola podcast, which is mainly student-oriented and run by the Mental Health Club. This trio of seniors hopes to remove stigma currently on mental health issues and address many of the anxieties prevalent in the Loyola community. The podcast covers a wide variety of themes, such as stress and anxiety, distance learning, masculinity, perfectionism, social media, relationships and much more. It is moderated by Loyola’s first-ever Wellness Coordinator Natasha Hamlin and theology teacher Christian Astran, who each provide holistic insight from a mental and spiritual perspective in line with the Ignatian values of Cura Personalis.
Astran said, “The best resource for students learning to grapple with these difficult topics is to hear and learn from the stories of their fellow Cubs, who have also had to deal with these difficult situations. This podcast is a way of offering student and adult community members’ insights and stories surrounding all of these topics in an accessible platform for the entire community.”
Similarly, “OG and YB Adventures” invites people of all ages, backgrounds and genders to talk about whatever interests they may have. They were not initially planning on having guests on their podcast, but after over a dozen requests, guests became a priority to them. Their guests have ranged from current Loyola varsity athletes to Loyola alumni to students at Loyola’s sister schools. The podcast has explored various topics like sports, academic and social life, and current events.
When asked about their motivation behind creating the podcast, Guilford said, “Our initial motivation was from watching other successful podcasts, such as the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ and many other UK ones.”
Although each podcast covers different topics and ideas, they all have one thing in common: a push for social interaction without compromising an efficient quarantine.
Guilford added, “As well as having a podcast and talking about everyday relatable teenager topics, it is also about social interaction with guests and friends in a safe way.”
Natural spaces of conversation and the ability to share stories are missing from everyone’s daily lives; however, “Premier League Prime Time,” “Cubs Walking With Cubs” and “OG and YB Adventures” have filled that void by providing an entertaining yet informative route to connecting with other Cubs and students from all over the world.
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