Episodes
Most of us will experience bullying at some time or another. And the desire to fight back is overwhelming. But how do you go about it without lowering yourself to their level? In this episode Laura’s guests share their stories of the First time they beat their bullies.
Published 07/24/20
How do you know when you fall head over heels in love for the very first time? How do you know it’s real? And how do you deal with it if you realise that maybe your love interest isn’t so great after all. Join Laura to hear two very different stories of a First Big Love.
Published 07/24/20
The first time you get your period. It’s a bit of a taboo subject, and one us Brits especially don’t like to talk about. But we need to as it’s something half the world’s population will have to face. In this episode Laura gets some great tips about how to get through it – and some advice for the boys out there to help their sisters, their friends, even their mothers get through that time of the month.
Published 07/24/20
At some point in life, even if not this summer, we’ll all face an exam – from A levels, GCSEs and Finals to a driving test. And while we always hope to pass – failure’s always an option. So how do you pick yourself up after your first epic exam fail? Find out from three former failures on this episode of Laura Anderson’s First.
Published 07/24/20
It’s a once in a lifetime moment – when you first go travelling. No mum and dad – and the world’s your oyster. But what if it all goes wrong? From missing trains and losing passports to getting injured and facing an operation in a foreign country, Laura meets three teenage travellers who had a pretty traumatic time, but lived to tell the tale and plan some future overseas adventures.
Published 07/24/20
It’s a feeling we all long for – that realisation that we’ve really succeeded. But what’s it like the first time you know you’ve really smashed it? Laura meets a singer, an Instagram inspiration and the youngest person ever to row across the Atlantic to find out.
Published 07/24/20
Anyone who throws a party wants it to be the talk of the common room or playground for weeks, and to be thought of as the party king or queen of their school. But not every party ends well. On this episode, Laura meets three teenagers whose birthday, Halloween and pre-exam parties ended up as epic fails, ad gets some much-needed tips as to how to ensure your next bash is memorable for all the right reasons.
Published 07/24/20
Do you think you can really make a difference to the world? Age is certainly no barrier to getting your voice heard about the things that matter to you. Join Laura as she hears from three young people who are really making a difference: An anti-plastic advocate, an anti-knife crime campaigner and someone who hasn’t let growing up in care silence their desire to make the world a better place.
Published 07/24/20
It’s the ultimate first – the one they’ve made films and written books about – the first time you have sex. So how do you prepare for that moment? Who do you tell? How do you know if you’re really ready? And what happens if that first time all goes wrong? In this episode, Laura hears the first time stories of three ordinary youngsters – and gets their tips to help you out if you’re worried about your first time.
Published 07/24/20
The police have to deal with thousands of incidents of racist abuse of under 18s every year. But how do you react when it first happens to you? And what can you do to fight back? Three incredible young people talk to Laura about how they coped the first time they were on the wrong end of a racist taunt.
Published 07/24/20
How do you cope when you first lose someone? What’s it like when you first find out a friend or a family member has died? That’s what we’re talking about on this episode of #FIRST.
Where do you go for help? How does it affect the rest of your life? And how do you move on and get on with your life. We’ll hear three inspiring stories about how to deal with that moment we all hope we’ll never have to face.
Published 08/15/19
What’s it really like when you suffer your #FIRST social media burn? Everyone now shares so much of their life online – what happens when it all goes wrong?
We’ll hear three stories of how to survive the first time you get burned by social media.
Published 08/08/19
In this episode of #FIRST we consider the nature of obsession. What’s it like when you become completely obsessed with a school friend, a celebrity or your body?
We’ll hear three extraordinary stories and find out what it really feels like when you realise you have an unhealthy obsession.
Published 08/01/19
Britain's teens have never been less religious. So what's it like when you do have real faith? Is there always that one moment you can point to when you started to believe? And how do your friends and family react when you come out as religious?
We'll talk to three young people – and find out how a row with a friend, a school trip and a nasty illness helped them find faith.
Published 07/25/19
You know that time that you thought you were all grown up, and ready to face the world, and then something happens that proves you’re still really a child and all you want to do is go and get Mum or Dad to sort it out? This episode tells three great stories about just that.
Like Izzy – who managed to book her first train trip in Canada to a ghost town hundreds of miles from where her mate was waiting for her. And Dillon – who had to face 500 angry students when his first attempts at cooking...
Published 07/18/19
You know the feeling – after weeks of planning, discussing it with your mates, choosing an outfit – you’re heading out on a #FIRST date. You turn up… And then it all goes wrong.
We’re going to find out what to do next as we speak to three young people about their #FIRST epic dating fails – and find out how they picked themselves up to carry on with that search for a perfect partner.
Published 07/11/19
The tunes are banging, the booze is flowing and you’re loving life! Fast forward to the morning; your head is banging and you wish you’d drank more water. In this episode we hear about your first time drunk experiences. Standby for stories of shame, regret and hangover horrors!
Published 07/04/19
How do you react when you find out your parents are splitting up? Do you rely on other friends and family members to get you through it? Is it all a question of how you find out, and why they’re splitting? How does it make you feel about your own relationships? On this episode of #FIRST, we’ll hear from Robyn, whose parents split, got back together and then split again, and Maisie - whose parents told her they were divorcing on April Fools’ Day.
Published 06/27/19
It’s happened to all of us – that first time we had a big bust up with our BFF. On this episode we’ll get the skinny on what really happened when a so-called friend posted lies online, when one blabbed about a private party, and how an argument over £1 almost ended a lifelong friendship.
First takes a look at those life-changing moments that can shape our formative years. The ten-part series, hosted by Laura Anderson, will cover both challenging experiences such as grief and dealing with...
Published 06/20/19
If you’re heading to your #FIRST festival this summer, here’s what not to do to have a great time.
First takes a look at those life-changing moments that can shape our formative years. The ten-part series, hosted by Laura Anderson, will cover both challenging experiences such as grief and dealing with parents splitting up to the more irreverent ‘adulting fails'.
Published 06/13/19
Find out how to survive getting your heart broken for the very #FIRST time.
First takes a look at those life-changing moments that can shape our formative years. The ten-part series, hosted by Laura Anderson, will cover both challenging experiences such as grief and dealing with parents splitting up to the more irreverent ‘adulting fails'.
Published 06/13/19