Podcasts. They may seem like nothing at first, but soon enough, they'll take over your life. I say this from personal experience, so hear me out.

I didn’t start actively listening to podcasts until last year when I began college. As a commuter student, train rides can be long and annoying. By the time I'd get to school, I'd feel like I'd traveled through multiple dimensions. So, to use my hour and a half commute effectively, I started to do my readings or next day assignments on the train. This system worked for me most of the time...until listening to podcasts became part of my life.

I'd first attempted to listen to podcasts when I was in the 11th grade because my best friend introduced me to them. Being an avid fan of mystery stories, I gave this podcast about unsolved criminal cases a try. Although I didn't have many expectations going in, the outcome was worse than I expected. The podcast left much to be desired by the listener and I gave up on podcasts altogether. I labeled them all as boring and monotonous. I remember thinking, "This isn't meant for me...I’m not even an auditory learner!"

Forward three years later and here I am, typing away about my new love (and slight obsession) for podcasts. I may have underappreciated them in the past, but not now. They have become a part of my daily commute and afternoon downtime.

After an energy-draining and exhausting day at school, reading about expressionist drama or the Ottoman Empire doesn't appeal to me. I don’t want to fry my brain or feel worn out on my way home. I want to relax and think about something else, something new. Podcasts offer me that opportunity.

They give me insight into events or people that never had crossed my mind until that day. They answer my most unanswered questions with the utmost attention to detail. Podcasts make me reflect and see the world in a new way. They give me the motivation I need to kick-start my day all while sitting on a train that smells like a fish market with a three-year-old intensely staring at me from across the train car.

Podcasts have taken over my life, or at least my daily commute, and I'm not complaining. Rather, I am thrilled to know that whenever I need a boost of energy or something to help me unwind, there are thousands of podcast episodes I can listen to at the click of a button. Whether you have a ten minute or two-hour commute, I recommend listening to a podcast instead of your daily music playlist sometime. Give it a try, it will be worth it!

Below I have listed some of my favorite podcasts:

*Revisionist History

*The Daily Boost

*Ted Talks Daily

*99% Invisble