Interview with the podcast hosts of The 20s Jumble  “Sometimes We Change the Episode’s Topic at the Last Minute”

In the podcast, "The 20s Jumble", Ronja and Leonie talk honestly about the chaos of their twenties. We caught up with them for a video interview.

Ronja and Leonie have only been in the podcast business for a short time. In "The 20s Jumble", they focus on the chaos of their twenties — a time they had imagined would be very different. In a video interview, they discuss how the podcast came about, their preparation process for each episode, and their third colleague, Chat.

Your podcast is still very young. How did the idea for it come about?

Leonie: During our conversations, we sometimes got the feeling that certain topics bothered other people too, and that an open conversation could help normalise things. The concept for the podcast was born from this realisation.

How did you come up with the name of your podcast?

Ronja: (laughs) We often work with "Chat" [note: Chat-GPT], — he's like our third colleague! When we were looking for a name, we told him what we wanted to achieve with our podcast and how we felt. Chat then suggested a few terms, one of which was Jumble. We thought that was very fitting.

Then I'll finish the interview by asking Chat a question, so he can join the conversation as the third person.¹

Ronja: Very cool. The titles of your podcast episodes are "Fear of the Future", "Hobbies" and "Jobs". These are broad topics that lend themselves to in-depth discussion, but you also have to leave a lot out. How do you prepare for such topics?

Leonie: We don't actually prepare at all. Sometimes, we even change the episode's topic at the last minute. It's only in certain formats, such as Q&A episodes, that we know in advance what we want to talk about. But we don't prepare answers to questions. They emerge during the conversation.

Ronja: This unplanned storytelling is the idea behind the podcast. Of course, a lot of things are always left out. However, I have generally thought about what I don't want to talk about. I always check my boundaries before an episode so that I can speak in a relaxed manner.

Leonie: I do that too. We think about what we want and don't want to say beforehand, especially when it comes to topics involving people from our environment.

It's impressive that you manage to produce such short episodes, especially given the complex topics. Some things could be talked about for hours.

Ronja: That's true. We've also realised that our episodes are getting longer and longer. However, we always have to record just before Leonie catches the train. That keeps us in check a bit. Will these overarching topics ever come to an end?

Leonie: At first, we thought the list of topics would never end. Now, we have a different impression. But we try not to put ourselves under pressure. Perhaps at some point, we'll stop discussing individual topics so specifically and start talking more about our everyday lives.

Ronja: That's right. I'm actually looking forward to that podcast phase too.

What topics are still on your wish list?

Ronja: I'm really looking forward to the planned "intergenerational exchange", where we'll be talking to someone from a different generation about topics such as self-employment. I can't wait to hear what she has to say.

Leonie: Since I'm going abroad for a semester soon, I'm excited to include this topic in our podcast and discuss it with our listeners. A former school friend of us has been living abroad for a while now, and she has been giving us feedback on our podcast episodes. That gives you an outside perspective.

It sounds like the podcast enables you to talk to people you don't see every day more often.

Ronja: Yes, that's one of the best things about our podcast: People we know, especially those in other age groups, react very strongly to it. It's great to start conversations through the podcast.

What does such a conversation look like?

Ronja: One person from our parents' generation told us, for example, that she wished she'd had someone to talk to like this in the past. But we've also heard people say, "I'd like to have those problems". That didn't bother me, though — I found it interesting to hear how people reacted to the podcast.

Leonie: I've also noticed that people from our parents' generation are showing an interest in the matter and giving it some thought. That's great, because it gets to the heart of why we started the podcast in the first place. We want to encourage people to think about certain topics and develop an understanding of them.

At the end of each episode, you provide tips on the topics discussed. But sometimes you say that you haven't planned anything. What topic could you use a tip on?

Ronja: Relationships.

Leonie: For me, it's self-organisation.

¹Short exchange with ChatGPT:

Hey Chat, we interviewed the two hosts of the "The 20s Jumble" podcast. They told us that they always consult you. How do you find working with them?

Chat: That sounds exciting! I'm glad they regularly consult me — it sounds like a great collaboration. [...] If I can help them develop their ideas or offer new perspectives, that's great!

August 2025