Free to Grow with Jerome Mbaga

Sometimes a simple reflection of core thought process, as the sun rapidly sets, is all you need :) Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:17 Nothing planned 01:01 Life in your days 03:34 Must understand 04:53 Flip Side 05:53 Feeling is living 07:23 Only you 08:13 Content update!

What are the odds the stranger you get randomly assigned to live with becomes your one of your best friends? Today, we are joined by exactly that guy. We get into the quiet miracles hiding in plain sight — someone holding the door, trusting a stranger to watch your stuff, dog parks, Muskoka chairs, dancing to a song you love — and why fully sitting inside an emotion, instead of rushing past it, en...

There's no script for ending a friendship — no "we need to talk," just a slower reply and a read receipt. We get into what makes a friendship worth grieving, the dealbreakers that quietly end them, and the two sides of every drift: the one always reaching, and the one pulling away. The uncomfortable truth? Most of us have been both. Some friendships are seasonal. Some deserve a real...

Suleimaan Omar, a fellow young content creator from Toronto joins us to discuss his experience, obstacles, and quirks of his journey. With over 100 day-in-the-life vlogs (with absurd wake-up times), Sulei proves himself to be a man of exceptional character, discipline (except reels screentime), and positivity. We discussed many shared experiences that anyone, content creator or not, can enjoy a go...

What seemed to be a new AI chatbot released in 2022 has now taken the world by storm, leaving some lost and others excited with opportunity. In this episode, I'm breaking down what it's actually doing to us: the cultural theft nobody's naming, killing critical thinking, and why every chatbot is suddenly being called a revolution. However, I'm also sharing how it genuinely exponenti...

Should I... ?

Inspired by Wild Geese, a poem written by Mary Oliver, this episode dissects the thoughts behind changes off made to my personality, university major, and daily habits. Serving as testament to the importance and beauty of change. Everyone is a lot more lost than we would like to admit; it's time we talk about it! Chapters 00:00 Quick recap 00:35 Poem Reading 02:30 Big changes were made 05:30 T...

Universal truth is a myth and extremism is winning. Maya Fuerstenberg joins the show to dive into why religion divides us, what we sacrifice just to belong, and why the simple practices, such as Modeh Ani, is the radical reset we need in a world where nothing is guaranteed. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Meet Maya 04:00 GenZ vs Religion 12:40 Lack of a middle ground 15:20 Echo-Chambers 19:00 Ho...

When does "representation" become a cage? In this episode, I read my essay "The Endangered Future of Black Artists." We’re breaking down why the art world’s obsession with "trauma-porn" and performative diversity is actually silencing the very creators it claims to celebrate. It’s time to move past the "boxed" identity and allow Black artists the freedom to...

Why do we all draw aliens the exact same way? In this episode, we’re dismantling the "factory settings" of reality. We explore the silly social propaganda that secretly runs our lives—from the marketing genius that convinced us diamonds equal love, to the absolute lie that penne is the only pasta for vodka sauce. Join us as we debunk the "sugar high," fix the world map, and defend vanilla’s reputa...

A detailed summarization of how me and my girlfriend met, lived together, and do long-distance! (Lowkey both half asleep) Chapters 00:00 First guest on the podcast? 00:46 Story of how we met 08:10 Living together (Communication) 21:15 Long-distance (Common fears) 36:24 How we've impacted each other 43:30 Important to remember

With houses leaving the market everyday, securing housing has become a task we can no longer ignore. What has helped me is envisioning who I want to be next year, finding the right group, and using every hack in the book. Let's talk about! Chapters 00:00 everything went wrong 02:04 Topics 02:46 Personal vision board 06:46 Key to finding your group 08:57 Questions to ask yourself 13:56 Resource...

I'm turning eighteen! Time to stop committing crimes. This episode shares with you five things I've been waiting for my birthday to complete, commentary on "the real world", and the most important lesson I have learned in my 18 years of life. I hope you find the relatable or useful in some way! Chapters 00:00 Week Recap 01:38 Podcast is growing! 02:12 5 things I'm doing on my...

After my first (rough) week of midterms, I want to share my experience with overconfidence, trying to catchup following my exams, and the best quote a teacher has ever told me. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:13 The hard truth 07:55 Life-changing quote 10:53 Getting through annoying weeks 14:23 After the storm

Everyone needs someone you can count on when you're going through a hard week. For me it was Jake! Starting with my love for Calvin & Hobbes stories, Jake has become a fundamental piece of my life. What about your teddy bear?

Why do we attach profound meaning to moments, music, and people? In this introspective episode, we dive deep into the craving for emotional depth. We explore the beautiful, complicated, and sometimes messy reasons we look for a connection that feels bigger than ourselves. 00:00 We're growing 03:06 My reasons 15:30 Playing judge 24:30 Best music for this vibe

The average human says 10,000 - 20,000 words every single day yet still falls short from hearing others or feeling that the words hold weight. How do you fix this? Recognizing that you might not always be right. Join me while I talk about ways I’ve struggled and succeeded with this ideology! 00:34 What I've been up to 06:35 You're being self-destructive 10:11 Storytime 15:04 Something to l...

Ever stare into a closet full of clothes and feel like you have nothing to wear? Me too. We're smashing that problem for good. This episode breaks down fashion as a tool for self-expression, how to build a personalized style (without breaking the bank), and exposing the top 3 worst fashion trends right now. Instead of telling you to wear tight skinny jeans and dad jokes t-shirts like younger m...

In light of recent events, Jerome pays respect, evaluates, and comments on the influence of Right-wing activist, Charlie Kirk. Jerome discusses the importance of universal ideologies while inviting you to criticize his logic. 00:00 Hello + my posters 02:21 Conversation perspective 03:35 Why this episode? 09:40 Universability 16:50 Why a good opinion ACTUALLY matters 19:26 Politics & Morality 2...

Turning up the pace, Jerome discusses the 7 main lessons he has taken away from university over his first week. Regardless of your attention span, you will leave this episode with a sense of relatability, relief, or confidence! 00:00 Introduction 00:42 Making friends 01:39 Chill dawg 02:47 It's ok 03:39 Best organization software/system 04:58 Showing up for people 05:50 Roommate/friend hack 06...

After waiting for as long as he could remember, Jerome finally moves away for university. Stepping into opportunity, he discuss how setting small or large goals can often be useless unless... 00:00 Moving to university! 02:30 The optimal version of you 06:04 How to format goals 08:48 Why this method is better 10:54 My experience 13:26 Closing

Going back to kindergarten lessons, Jerome discuss the challenges and joys that come with making new friends! However amazing you are, this episode is bound to teach you something! (or so they say) 00:00 Hey! 01:44 Why do we want to have friends? 02:48 The secret trick 11:28 Where to find friends 15:19 My biggest piece of advice 23:30 My kindergarten bully 25:59 Just say hi

Moving to university in two weeks, I talk about facing some uncomfortable fears that come with moving away and how to navigate through it. I hope this helps you through whatever move you are making! 00:00 Life Recap 05:27 Natural emotions 07:12 Past fears 11:50 Present fears 15:30 Future fears 24:23 Takeaway

Finally taking a chill pill on serious discusions, episode 3 talks about my little joys in life and most likely some of yours :) 00:00 Overview of my week 02:53 Weirdly Specific Top 5 07:35 Odd Top 5 15:00 Deep Top 5

Turning the pen to you, Jerome Mbaga invites listeners to reflect and question the current direction of their life. Faced with a terrifying philospical question, Jerome discusses the importance of grounding ones self to find stabilty in themselves, their life, and time.