Wednesday Jul 02, 2025

Friendships and Fitting In with Nina Badzin

At every age and stage, we long to belong. But too often, that desire comes at the cost of abandoning parts of ourselves. True friendship isn’t about fitting in - it’s about finding your people: the ones you like, and the ones you feel good being around.

Leslie Randolph is joined by friendship expert and advice columnist Nina Badzin for a conversation about friendship and friend groups, especially during the tween and teen years. But the truths they explore reach well beyond middle school. How do we recognize a real friend versus someone we’re just trying to impress? Why do so many of us stay in groups that drain us? And how can we help kids build friendships that reflect who they are, not who they think they’re supposed to be?

Nina shares what she’s learned from years of listening to people wrestle with connection, exclusion, and the pressure to belong. Together, Leslie and Nine unpack the difference between fitting in and finding true friendship, the quiet harm of chasing the “right” group, and the role adults play, often unintentionally, in keeping those patterns alive. They also talk about the value of community and how spaces like family dinners, extracurriculars, and youth groups can offer kids a sense of belonging that isn’t dependent on social status.

This episode is a gentle reminder that strong friendships aren’t built on proximity or history alone. They’re built on trust, emotional safety, and mutual effort. And that’s true at any age.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Friendship and Confidence

03:04 Meet Nina Badzin: Friendship Columnist and Expert

05:00 The Myth of the Perfect Friend Group

08:09 Fitting In vs. Authentic Friendship

11:12 How Parents Shape Social Pressure

15:04 What Makes a Friendship Real

20:10 Trust, Safety, and Showing Up as Yourself

24:05 Building Social Confidence Through Multiple Buckets

28:02 Where to Find Belonging Beyond School

30:12 Friendship vs. Community: Why Both Matter

38:09 Practical Advice for Building Real Friendships