Last week, I walked out of my last class of the day into pure sunshine and happiness. It felt like something out of a movie – there was a volleyball game in the quad, people were walking their dogs (wearing shorts!), and every lawn chair was being used. Sun on my face and a lack of chill in the air instantly put me in a good mood, and I started to think that a Hot Girl Walk would be amazing in this weather. If you’re unfamiliar, Hot Girl Walk is a term popularized in the past couple years that basically makes going for a regular walk more fun. Walks are great for our health, both mental and physical, and with spring rapidly approaching, it’s almost HGW season again. If you’re tired of listening to the same old playlist, it might be time to give podcasts a try. While you get your steps in, you can also learn a thing or two or just take time to reflect while listening in on an introspective conversation. I know it can be hard to get into podcasts, but I’m a firm believer that there is one out there for everyone. I’ve tried tons of them, so I’ve compiled a list of the best of the best podcasts for any need you may have, whether that be a laugh or a hardcore advice sesh.
“Goes Without Saying” – Sephy and Wing
“Goes Without Saying” is listed as a comedy, culture, and self-help podcast, but it is the most for-the-girls podcast I have ever listened to. Persephone Deacon (Sephy) and Erin Mirali (Wing) are the most comforting people to listen to – they’ve been through it all and have no problem being open and honest about it while sprinkling in pop culture references and the sweetest girl talk I’ve ever heard. To give you an idea of what you’d get if you listened to “Goes Without Saying”, some of their most recent episode titles include “break-ups & realistic boundaries: am i the drama?,” “social fatigue & bad friends: go girl give us nothing,” and “change, trauma, & moving on: rip freud u would’ve loved this ep.” As you listen you will come to love their inside jokes, catchphrases, fresh perspectives, and hot takes on Harry Potter.
“Moments” – Lexi Hidalgo
If you were on TikTok in 2020 or 2021, you’d definitely seen Lexi Hidalgo pop up on your FYP at least once or twice, whether it was a “coffee talk” spreading positivity, recipe inspo, or vlogs from her time living in Hawaii.
Her podcast is just like her TikTok content in longer form, with advice about everything from dating, to living with roommates, to figuring out what you want to do with your life. She’s recently also started gravitating towards having guests on the pod, which adds new perspectives and so much to learn about mental health and well-being. Lexi gives off fun big sister vibes, which is the perfect energy to have in your ear on a healing Hot Girl Walk.
“OPENHOUSE” – Louise Rumball
“OPENHOUSE” is one of the most impactful podcasts on this list that I want to start listening to more. It is described by Rumball as “your weekly free therapy fix.” “OPENHOUSE” features therapists and clinical psychologists as guests to discuss a wide range of topics surrounding mental health and wellness. As someone who preaches constantly about the benefits of therapy, this podcast is the perfect free resource for me to recommend to friends, as well as readers. Of course, this podcast is not a sufficient substitute for real therapy, but it can be a good supplement to it, kickstart your mental health healing journey if you need one, and give you some good things to ponder on your next HGW.
“Bookmark’d” – Destiny Sidwell and Sara Carrolli
For any of the girlies who love to read, “Bookmark’d” is for you. I have been a subscriber to both Des and Sara’s BookTube channels for a while. For those unfamiliar, BookTube is a subsect of YouTube where creators make content purely about books and reading (just like BookTok). If you’re a fan of that side of the internet, you’re the target audience for this pod! The girls just make me so happy to listen to as they have such good outlooks on life and always find a way to connect current pop and internet culture to the trends going on in the reading world. These girls read everything, too – whether you like romance or fantasy, they will surely touch on your niche at some point. Check out their channels after you’ve caught up with their podcast episodes to see fun To-Be-Read videos and reading vlogs!
“The Broski Report” – Brittany Broski
This one is an honorable mention as it honestly is best consumed in its video format on YouTube rather than on a Hot Girl Walk (although if you’re taking your HGW on a treadmill, this is the perfect option for you). You may have seen some out-of-context clips of “The Broski Report” floating around TikTok, including Broski screaming about Beyonce and that she “can’t girlboss without [her] … coffee.” However, nothing does the total hilarity of the pod more justice than actually sitting and watching the full episodes. Broski rose to internet fame after going viral as Kombucha Girl in 2019. Now she’s interviewing celebrities at red carpet events, attending them herself, and, of course, uploading a podcast episode once a week. It’s hard to describe the content of “The Broski Report”, but if you are a fan of Broski otherwise, and are looking for a good laugh, or are a pop culture connoisseur, this is the listen for you, as Broski addresses every topic under the sun while making top tier jokes.