We Should Start a PODcast
Three MC juniors are creating a growing podcast from the comfort of their pod.
Instagram and TikTok have seen a rise in “we should start a podcast” content — that is, clips and snippets that feature friends joking that their conversations are entertaining enough to start their own show. Rarely do people actually take the leap. Yet, three Mississippi College (MC) juniors have launched a growing podcast from the comfort of their University Place apartment.
Annalyn Nevels, Kayden Lightkep and Gracie Guest aired their first episode of The PODcast on Jan. 21.
The girls' friendship began to form in the summer of 2022 when Nevels was searching for a roommate through the housing portal.
“I didn't [know] anyone that was coming here,” Nevels said. “I saw Kayden on the housing portal and saw that she was in the Whitt, and I was like, ‘I'm gonna save this girl. Nobody wants to live in the Whitt.’”
During that first week, the roommates met the third and final co-host of their future podcast, Gracie Guest. Guest lived on the same hall and joined Nevels and Lightkep for welcome week silent disco.
As the three recounted the memory, they laughed.
“We started dancing,” Nevels said. “It was honestly pretty awkward. Then, all of a sudden, we go looking for Gracie, and Gracie is gone.”
Despite the awkward event, there were no hard feelings, and the three found commonalities, resulting in a strong friendship.
“Both are just very good at giving advice and helping me spiritually,” Guest said.
“They're the two people I go to for advice,” Lightkep said.
Conversations of starting their own podcast began in the spring of 2024 after Lightkep received a microphone for Christmas. Due to their busy schedules, the friends pushed the conversation aside until this past Christmas break.
“Christmas break was when we probably had a real conversation, but the conversation wasn't until after I had already gotten on Canva and made [a graphic],” Lightkep said.
Sending the graphic in their group chat accelerated the conversations. When the three returned for the spring semester, they uploaded their first episode of “THE PODcast”.
The name for their show seemed like a no-brainer as the three friends live together in the University Place apartments, more commonly known as ‘the pods’, which also acts as their recording space. With a mic stuck between two Harry Potter books, the girls record whenever they can find the time. Topics vary from more light-hearted content such as the hosts’ shared quote book to more deep conversations like finding community.
“We started off wanting to do a more [light-hearted] podcast, but I feel like we've moved more towards a spiritual side because I think more people listen and enjoy that,” Lightkep said.
The purpose of the podcast revolves around mentorship and documenting experiences. Each of the three friends mentors younger girls and wanted to speak messages of encouragement to the younger generation.
“We want it to be fun, but also spiritual,” Lightkep said. “My thought process was I would love for younger girls to listen and would talk about topics to help them through maybe middle school, high school and then, like their first couple years at college. Even people our age would be able to relate to us and the things that we’re going through.”
Guest also wanted to capture her friendship with Lightkep and Nevels and the experiences they have undergone.
“For me, I want to have something to look back on in college,” Guest said. “What we learned. What we did. Our experience and things like that. Also, I think it'll be so cool [if I had] a little girl and could show her these podcasts.”
After two months, the PODcast has nine episodes under its belt, which exceeds the average episode count of podcasts. Data shows that in 2024 over 180,000 podcasts were launched; however, only 90% of podcasts that are launched make it past the third episode.
As summer looms ahead, the PODcasters have set plans to defend against being the next failed podcast.
“We're going to record a good number [before the summer],” Lightkep said. It'll be two or three for a month. When we come back in the fall, we'll all get together again and start it up more consistently.”
Listeners can tune in on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Currently, new episodes are uploaded every other Tuesday.
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