Explain It to Me

Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?

Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it's to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn't expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Society & Culture
Politics
Education
1
How to date IRL
People are getting tired of the dating apps and turning to a more old-fashioned way of finding love.
26 min
2
How to survive a flop
In the streaming era, success is public, failure is viral, and everyone's one release away from a flop era. How do you come back?
26 min
3
Why everyone's an introvert now
Move aside extroverts. In this episode — which aired last year — we explore personality types and whether they are set in stone.
23 min
4
Why can’t I remember being a baby?
Even if we have little to no memory of our first few years, our earliest experiences still matter.
25 min
5
Vacation? In this economy?
Gas is expensive and Europeans want us to stay home. How can you still make use of that precious PTO?
26 min
6
Going broke on wellness
Americans spend billions on healthcare products, from green powders and cold plunges to costly gym memberships. Last summer we asked: what good do they do?
27 min
7
The perimenopause moment
Women’s health and hormones have been misunderstood by the medical establishment for decades. That’s changing.
26 min
8
What's in a name?
Jalen and Olivia and Liam and Ailany. We look at what makes a name top the popularity charts.
26 min
9
Tanning is back
Never mind skin cancer. Summer 2026 is all about tanmaxxing.
26 min
10
Can we cheat death?
The trick to living a longer, happier life.
26 min
11
How to beat mosquitoes
They’re the deadliest animal on the planet. Now even Google is getting into the extermination business.
26 min
12
The lost art of handwriting
How our relationship with writing has changed, and how that’s changed us.
27 min
13
DIY or don’t?
YouTube has advice for how to do everything from plumbing to electrical work. Should you take it?
26 min
14
Why people cheat
Our fears about infidelity reveal a lot about us. And so do our reasons for cheating.
26 min
15
Prepping for doomsday (or Tuesday)
How to prepare for the worst while still living your best life.
26 min
16
Chems in your cosmetics
From lotions to hair extensions, the products that make us look good may also make us feel bad.
27 min
17
The cost of “I do”
Love is in the air, but only if you’ve got thousands to throw at it. How couples are navigating the pressures and expenses of planning their perfect wedding.
26 min
18
Burnout sandwich
How to manage the squeeze of taking care of your kids and your parents at the same time.
26 min
19
How to fight burnout
We've been stuck in cycles of burnout for decades. Have Gen Z workers found a way out?
26 min
20
Why you have to be optimistic
When the world is on fire, it’s difficult to stay hopeful. But our future depends on it.
26 min
21
Can someone explain these prices?
From the gas station to the café to the grocery store, we break down why things cost so much these days.
26 min
22
Your accent… explained
How you talk reveals where you’re from and who you’d like to be.
26 min
23
The book of Mormon influence
27 min
24
Sugar crash
We’re obsessed with sugar. And Big Sugar is obsessed with us. How do we make a break?
26 min
25
Your clutter is holding you back
26 min