This is NPR's Life Kit.

I'm Mary El Segara.

And I am your new host.

I know at Life Kit you're used to hearing lots of voices,

hosts, reporters, and producers from NPR and beyond.

And don't worry, you'll still be hearing them on the show

all the time, including Life Kit's own Andy Tagle.

But you'll also be hearing me a lot now.

It's a new era for Life Kit.

We're turning the page.

Kind of exciting, right?

OK, the thing is I am really excited, but it's also a new job.

And that's a little stressful.

I wrapped up my last job as a reporter and a host

for Marketplace in mid-August.

And I took a few weeks off in between.

I went on vacation to Wisconsin, where a friend and I

kayaked on Lake Michigan and visited a giant castle

filled with cheese.

It was fun and super relaxing.

But as the first day at NPR approached,

there were all these things in the back of my mind

...