Whether you're starting out in your career, or figuring out what to do with your life, it can help so much to have a mentor. Someone who's been there and worked through it, someone who supports you and tells you you can do it.

With this episode, ANU student Lauren Northcote and demographer Dr Liz Allen come to Future Self with an existing friendship and mutual admiration. Each are in a vastly different stage of their lives.

Liz shares with Lauren about her background of disadvantage, and how her first child led her to turn her life around. She explains how she developed the confidence to call herself a demographer and why she now considers herself a "deviant demographer". They both talk about gaining a sense of belonging.

“I urge others who fear that they are different for whatever reason, to grab hold of that with two hands, everything that you can. Because your difference is what makes you great.” - Liz

“I'm so glad that you tell your story and tell it so proudly, because I know that when I was growing up, I was always trying to look for these stories to find my own path.” - Lauren

Lauren Northcote is studying a Bachelor of Science, in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Sociology at the Australian National University. She's planning on undertaking Honours in Sociology with the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences in 2021.

Dr Liz Allen is a highly skilled demographer and social researcher with quantitative and qualitative expertise. She is currently a postdoctoral fellow with the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences, and her latest book is The Future of Us, published by NewSouth Books.

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Music: "Found You" by Atch
SoundCloud: bit.ly/AtchSoundCloud
Spotify: bit.ly/AtchSpotify
Instagram: www.instagram.com/atchmusic

Future Self is a production of the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences. It’s produced by Evana Ho.

You can find us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @ANUCASS.

Follow Dr Liz Allen on Twitter @DrDemography.