There’s nothing worse than sitting in that 8 a.m. traffic on 94, with nothing better to do then listening to that same driving playlist you’ve had sitting around since you were 16. Here’s a list of some suggestions to make your morning commute at least a little more productive.
1.) Podcasts
Probably one of the more obvious choices, but you can never go wrong with a good podcast! A few weeks ago, one of our lovely writers actually wrote an article full of recommendations, all of which are amazing! There are so many options, no matter what genre you prefer. After being introduced to podcasts, I found myself listening to them outside of my commute as well. Usually while doing laundry, dishes or other chores.
2.) Entire Albums/Soundtracks
Use your commute time to get yourself cultured. Hunt down that new album that you haven’t had the time to listen to, or whatever latest broadway soundtrack your friends have been talking about. One thing that I like to do is queue up entire spotify playlists of albums for each day of the week. For example, some days I might want to listen to one genre, and the next something entirely different. If you want to go all out, you can even try to plan your genres for the week based on what your mood is going to be like (bouncy pop music to get you motivated for finals, or introspective classical music to study the week before).
3.) Audiobooks
Been complaining lately about not having enough time to read? Audiobooks are great for commuters! Audible has some great membership options, otherwise your local library most likely has a digital loaning system put in place. I like to get light and fun young adult fiction books for my commute, so I can actually look forward to being stuck in traffic.
4.) Lecture Recordings
Ok, so maybe this isn’t the most exciting option, but if you’re in a class that’s largely lecture-based, it can be a very good way to study without feeling like you have to carve out even more time from your packed schedule!
5.) Practice Speeches/Presentations
People next to you might give you funny looks, but just own it! When else are you going to be completely alone in a (mostly) judge-free zone? Run through that presentation real quick while cruising down the highway, or just give yourself a quick pep-talk to prepare yourself for accepting that award you definitely deserve.
Even with all these tips in mind, your morning and afternoon commute still might not be the most exciting part of your day. Hopefully this at least gives you a few options so you don’t feel like you’ve completely wasted such valuable time!