Connecting through stories is something that I’ve always been interested in. When I was younger, I used to interview people for a blog which gave me some great opportunities, but also a lot of imposter syndrome. I started studying media and communication to feel more confident in what I was doing and that led to me making the magazine, Growing Pains.
I wanted to make something that I wished I’d had when I was growing up. Growing Pains focuses on the situations that people or their loved ones might find themselves as they grow up. It covers topics like moving away from home, changing careers, relationships, sexuality, mental health, and invisible illnesses.
When I finished the first edition of the magazine, I knew that I’d initially done it as a personal project, and that felt great, but hearing feedback from other people with the same sentiments was really special. The stories are so relatable and educational alongside a lot of practical information on what you can do to find help in various situations. A lot of the things that affect and shape us are the things we don’t often talk about, they rarely come up in day to day conversations but through making the magazine I’ve realised it’s empowering to talk about them and take back some control reflecting on a time where you might have felt very out of control.
