Learning How To Be Bold In Your 20s: A review of

First and foremost, The Bold Type is made for women (be it confident women, or girls who have no idea how to radiate female power without worrying they are ‘too much’). The show takes viewers on a journey following the professional and personal self-discovery of three best friends. Working for Scarlet, a renowned women’s magazine, Sutton Brady (Meghann Fahy) Kat Edison (Aisha Dee) and Jane Sloan (Katie Stevens) have to figure out how to be independent whilst trusting others. So, here is a glimpse into The Bold Type:

Oh, hell no!

The show has a strong start. In the first season, Jane has to come out of her comfort zone and write about orgasms. You’re probably thinking, that should be easy! How many women in their 20s have never orgasmed, not even by themselves? Jane would be one of them. Feeling like a fraud whilst her friends are having the most amazing sex, and even her boss talks about the best sex positions to try out, Jane has to find her cup of tea when it comes to getting off. With no medical explanation for her climaxing problem, her research has to start somewhere. Jane first meets a sexologist, and when that fails, she goes old school. From watching porn to trying out erotic novels to find her perfect fantasy, Jane tries everything. Not being able to get out of her own head ends up being the problem. So instead of hiding behind what other people expect or think, she tells the

The Bold Type.

truth. Her finished article addresses the women who have never had an orgasm, normalising her experience, and the experience of many others, in a sexually woke world.

Before Tequila Sunrise

The girls of The Bold Type are stuck in the office during a traffic jam. Jane loses her pitch on genderless fashion to another colleague, and Sutton tries to figure out if she should confess her love for Richard, a board member for Scarlet magazine. But Kat’s relationship with Adena, her first lesbian partner, centres this episode. Adena is a Muslim and proud lesbian from Iran who moved to France, but comes to New York for an art gallery. Originally, Adena saw Scarlet as an anti-feminist magazine, but her views change as she breaks up with her previous love-interest in France and makes her way to Kat. The directors explore immigration and female rights in the Middle East, with Adena having visa problems and risking being deported to her home country. Kat acts on impulse and love, with a bold romantic gesture of being with the woman she loves at the airport. The two end up talking, having an unconventional date and sex in the airport’s hotel. In the end, Adena is deported but their newfound connection does not stop there. Kat follows Adena to Iran, looking at the glass half full once together with her new girlfriend. Spoiler alert, Adena does return to the US but both women struggle to be themselves whilst in a committed relationship.

relationship with sex, Scarlet needs someone to write an article about sex in today’s age. What better way to do that than going to a sex club, not that Jane has ever done that before. Kat and Sutton of course join her, with Kat doing some research of her own by looking at a new female led company that makes vibrators. Jacqueline, their boss, is the first one to jump at the opportunity of having a new vibrator added to her collection after separating from her husband. After a 20-year marriage, finding your confidence in relationships again is a challenge. At the sex party, what’s bolder than kissing someone after finding out that your boyfriend also kissed someone else on his book tour. But both Jane and Ryan hated kissing other people, so reaching that conclusion, Jane goes back home and has some great makeup sex. This episode reveals that the millennials ultimately adore sex parties, with the definition of intimacy ever-changing.

Love

Babes in Toyland

The title of this episode says it all. Going back to Jane and her personal

Now, the show turns to a detailed look at the ups and downs that come with love, and falling for someone you should not. Sutton and Richard’s 15-year age gap relationship is complicated. Sutton is 26 and faces the trials and tribulations of falling for a 41-year-old man. The first thing likely to be going through your head as a woman starting off her career is: what will people think? Despite this, they make their relationship public, figure out their different needs and wants when it comes to the age difference, break up and get back together a million times. In the end, after getting engaged and married, they break it off due to a difference of opinion regarding starting a fam- ily. Sutton does not want any kids, but Richard does. The young woman stays true to herself, happy in the now and seemingly ready to face the heartbreak of divorcing someone she still loves.

So, are you convinced yet? The Bold Type covers everything from selflove, to sexuality, friendship, sex flings, divorce, and career struggles. To a 20-year-old woman, it’s her own personal guide on how to gain your confidence in a world that’s trying to crush it. Be your own self and start your journey to boldness in bed with a hot chocolate or some popcorn, binge watching the show from start to finish.

Millie Draper ASSOCIATE LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Being a third-year student, the pressure to succeed becomes extremely heavy. Although it is the last stretch, it leaves me wishing for more time to improve academically. Working tirelessly over the Christmas break, keeping up with weekly reading and attending lectures and seminars starts to become more overwhelming than ever. I spend most days working until 11pm, which has left me questioning; where can I find time for myself?

When I do force myself to have a break and slow down, I reach for Tik Tok. However, this doesn’t help as my page is flooded with motivational study compilations, bragging about how much they achieved that day. I compare myself to those videos, wondering how to become just like them. The line between healthy and unhealthy study habits becomes blurred because they romanticise essay writing. The truth is, there is nothing romantic about it!

Inevitably, if I keep working like this, I will burn out. But the guilt for having downtime is horrible. Whenever I take a break, I think of all the things I could have achieved in that time. Truthfully, this is a very unhealthy mindset, and I am starting to change it.

Luckily, I came across a snippet of Emma Chamberlain’s podcast, where she talks about how she doesn’t have sympathy for herself. This took me aback, realising that I resonate with this. When you look at yourself, you always think you can try harder and do better. But what if you’re already doing your best? Why is that not enough? She continues to say that she views others as human beings but doesn’t view herself as needing that same care. I took a minute after hearing this and realised that this was exactly how I was feeling. Why can’t I feel sympathy for myself? Why do I try to push myself so much and never be satisfied when I succeed?

How are you supposed to succeed if you don’t take care of yourself? Why can’t I take a two-hour break to watch a movie just because? The answer is that I can and should! In the long run, giving yourself time to unwind is much better than pushing yourself beyond your limits. Recently, I’ve implemented some techniques to give myself that time. Here’s what I’ve tried recently:

1. Putting anything related to your studies in another room so it is not in your sight whilst trying to relax.

2. Watch a movie or TV show.

3. Have at least one day off of university work per week.

4. Try to take only a little work home, and do as much as possible in a working environment like the library or coffee shop.

5. When a friend suggests going somewhere, say yes.

Truthfully, self-care isn’t always easy to do. It can take a long time to feel like you deserve to take time for yourself. My journey has only just started, and it is tough to switch off when you know that much is to be done. But that can be done another time. Treat yourself with kindness because you deserve nothing less than that. This realisation has taken the pressure off of being the perfect student. In time, knowing that I’ve tried my best is much better than burning out and not being able to give everything I can.