“You have to listen to this podcast!”
The fact is, as busy college students, it can be hard to find the time to listen to every single podcast recommendation that floats your way. Luckily, you don’t have to make time. Below, I’ve compiled a list of my all-time favorite podcast episodes, the best of my favorite shows in a single play. Listen now — and thank me later.
“Greetings From Coney Island” from Love + Radio
I’ll be honest: I’m not always a fan of Love + Radio. Some of their episodes are amazing, others just aren’t that exciting. But this episode is one of my absolute favorite episodes of any podcast of all time. Even if you know that it’s not possible for Rachel to be receiving a postcard from 1938, you believe it because she tells it in a way that is so relatable and so magical that you can’t help but wish for it to be true.
“More Perfect Presents: Adopted Couple V. Baby Girl” from More Perfect
While I am ambivalent about Love + Radio, I absolutely adore More Perfect, and most episodes are, in my opinion, 10/10. But this episode is a great listen, even if you have no interest in the law or the Supreme Court whatsoever. The story of how one very confusing adoption case ended up in the Supreme Court is definitely a must-listen.
“23 Weeks 6 Days” from Radiolab
Kelly Benham and Tom French had trouble conceiving, and when Kelly did become pregnant, she never expected to deliver her baby at 23 weeks and 6 days. The story of the birth of Kelly’s daughter is easily my favorite Radiolab episode of all time. You’ll laugh, cry, and struggle with the moral dilemmas presented within the episode’s narrative.
“Five Women” from This American Life
This American Life has many gems — this switched at birth story deserves an honorable mention — but my favorite out of 2018 was definitely the above story about the #MeToo movement. In this episode, five women describe their interactions with one man. Four of these women were sexually harassed by this man at work. One woman is his wife. The resulting episode if a human dissection of the #MeToo movement from all angles.
“Lost in Time” from Spooked from Snap Judgement
Though both ghost stories covered in this episode of Spooked are phenomenal, I’ve never been able to get the first story, “Time Warp Saloon,” out of my head. One woman’s story of the saloon she only saw once in the middle of the night will confuse even the most certain of ghost-story skeptics.
“Suitcase of Love and Shame” from Love + Radio
Okay, when Love + Radio makes a good episode, it’s a really good episode. “Suitcase of Love and Shame” is the audio version of a documentary about a woman who finds a suitcase full of tape recordings passed between illicit lovers in the 1960s. This episode plays like a cross between a documentary that’s actually interesting and a soap opera that’s actually believable, making for a story you’ll never forget.
So next time you want to sample a really good podcast episode without committing to a show that’s been in production for three years, give one of these episodes a try. I promise you won’t regret spending time listening to any of these gems. Happy listening, collegiettes!