Okay, so in reality, these are just five well made podcasts that meet some of my varied interests, but maybe they meet some of yours as well. Plus podcasts are FREE, and as college students we could all use a little more free in our lives. And if you're reading this and aren’t a college student, they're still some quality podcasts so if any catch your interest, consider giving it a listen.
All of these podcasts are available for free on iTunes and most have their own websites as well:
1. Invisibilia
This is for all my social science majors out there, or anyone who’s interested in hearing about some of the fascinating cases of the invisible forces that make people who and what they are. As a Psychology major I would probably have no issue just listening to psychologists talk about things for 40 minutes in a podcast but luckily for the rest of the world that’s not what this is. Hosted by Lulu Miller, Hanna Rosin and Alix Spiegel, Invisibilia bases each episodes topic in anecdotal evidence, with some support from psychologists or other scientists they consult, making it both interesting and easy to listen to, but also accurate and well-backed with science.
2. Code Switch
For all my social activist types out there. Code Switch is a team of ethnic minority journalists reporting on race and culture, how it affects our society and how it’s role is constantly changing in America. Code switch also has a website within NPR where they post articles on race and identity as well but for me, nothing beats the easy listening of their podcast which allows me to multitask while taking in their content.
3. Welcome to Night Vale
Okay so unlike the other podcasts on this list WTNV is not informative, it’s fiction and purely for your entertainment. WTNV is a fictional radio broadcast to the fictional town of Night Vale. WTNV is a bit odd and isn't for everyone but its quirky weird humor, great voice acting, and smart writing roped me and thousands of others in quickly. Also if you already listen to WTNV or listen after this and decide you love it, the people behind the podcast have also recently started putting out two new podcasts, Alice Isn’t Dead, and Within the Wires. All are fictional, wonderfully weird in their own different ways, and a great listen when you’re on the bus, walking to class, or going on a jog and just feel like being amused.
4. The Art of Charm
Great for newly budding social networkers out there who want a psychological leg up on the competition. The Art of Charm is almost like a self-help podcast but less cheesy and self-serving and more psychologically informative and thought provoking. Based in psychology and anecdotes from successful business owners, speakers, and social scientists alike, The Art of Charm takes on improving your social standing professionally as well as personally. Now I found TAoC recently and they have over 500 episodes so this is a podcast I don’t listen to serially, but when I see a title that piques my interest it’s usually a great pick. And with over 2 million downloads a month they must be doing something right.
5. Planet Money
For any college kids interested in business and economics but too busy to actually take economics Planet Money makes a great listen. I personally am super interested in economics… in theory, but any podcast I checked out had me checking out about 5 minutes in. Planet Money was thankfully a little different, they keep it light, they keep it interesting, they tell stories while still reporting and informing. Their hook line on their website really rings true: “Imagine you could call up a friend and say, "Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy." Now imagine that's actually a fun evening. That's what we're going for at Planet Money.”
