Now that you’re a sophisticated college student, do you ever find yourself in need of an entertainment upgrade for your bus ride to work or your walk to class? Ever since I started commuting to my part-time job, 30 minutes of non-stop music just wasn’t cutting it anymore. After being introduced to the world of podcasts, I quickly became an avid listener when I discovered that the genres are endless and most shows are free!
I’ve learned that it can take some serious searching to cultivate the perfect podcast menu, so to save you some time here are some of my top suggestions for you to sample:
For relationship advice and comedic relief…
Girls Gotta Eat
If you’re a fangirl at heart like me, Rayna and Ashley’s hilarious banter, no-filter relationship advice, and oddly relatable stories from their New York City escapades will likely be the perfect new fix now that you (may) have outgrown the Tumblr phase. Think Sex and the City but with two best friends who sometimes interview comedians about their sex lives.
Seriously though…don’t listen in public if you’re uncomfortable by the idea of bursting out laughing to yourself…it will happen.
Favorite episodes: Drunk in Love? and How to Lose a Girl in One Date
For some food for thought…
Hidden Brain
This podcast is great for expanding your mind and diving deep into existential thoughts about human nature…but in an entertaining, refreshing kind of way. Who needs coffee when you can stimulate your mind with fascinating stories about human behavior that may even change the way you think about your own life? (Just kidding about the coffee though—host Shankar Vedantam has one of the most soothing ASMR voices known to man, so I wouldn’t skip your daily cappucino.) Each episode incorporates psychology and sociology through the lens of a captivating narrative about topics ranging from the college hookup culture to the underlying psychology of Trump voters.
For catching up on current events….
The Daily
Just like its name suggests, this New York Times podcast is the perfect news rundown for your daily routine. It’s up every week day morning, and each episode is only about 20 minutes long. What sets this apart from your average news podcast is that each episode highlights one story to provide deeper context and a variety of perspectives about a high stakes issue. One of my favorite series of episodes was called The Caliphate, which explored why susceptible young people across the globe made the unimaginable decision to join the Islamic State.
For your true crime murder mystery fix…
My Favorite Murder
Who would’ve thought murder and comedy could coincide? If you love binge-watching shows like Criminal Minds and are excited by the idea of listening to best friends gossip about frightening stories, you’re gonna wanna tune in. Karen and Georgia are two witty ladies living in LA with a a shared passion for true crime. They somehow manage to beautifully transition from goofing off and joking about their lives to telling chilling accounts of some of the most famous serial killers of all time. I’m also a big fan of their weekly mini episodes, where they read listener stories about near death experiences and crazy hometown crimes.
For daily motivation and female powered inspiration…
Girlboss Radio
Hosted by the founder of Nasty Gal, Sophia Amoruso, Girl Boss Radio interviews Bad A** women who have defied societal expectations of female success. Sophia’s bold questions and hilarious commentary helps her guests feel comfortable opening up and getting #real about what they’ve learned along their paths to achieving their goals. This podcast gets extra snaps for interviewing women from a variety of different backgrounds and fields (one of my favorite episodes featured the founder of Dry Bar!). This is an awesome podcast for anyone searching for entrepreneurship advice, female empowerment, or just a boost of inspiration before a long day of class.