My life consists of a couple long drives every month since I live roughly three hours away from my parents and my boyfriend. I’m restless and easily distracted, so I sometimes dread the hours alone, stuck in one spot. I’m not one to settle for boredom, so I quickly found something to entertain me. Before I knew it, I was saturated in the world of podcasting. I see people asking for recommendations on Facebook and social media all the time, so I decided to compile my favorites in one place so you can decide what to listen to next!
- Crime Junkies
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This list is in no particular order, but Crime Junkies is definitely my go-to podcast. It is entertaining and I like how the episodes are always under an hour. Ashley and Brit tell the stories of kidnapping and murder victims, so this show is definietly not for the faint of heart. They generally avoid foul language, but the content is extremely mature. My favorite thing about Crime Junkies is how they work to support unsolved cases. Just by telling stories of victims the media doesn’t often care about, thousands of cases have been reopened. So much underreported crime often affects people of color or those in a lower income bracket who don’t have the means to advocate for themselves, but Crime Junkies gives them a platform to tell their stories. It’s heartbreaking what so many families have to go through, but the work this podcast does is making the world a better place.
Average episode length: 35-60 minutes
- Meditation Minis
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Meditation Minis is an award-winning podcast, perfect for anyone who struggles to calm their mind. Chel Hamilton and her soothing voice lead listeners in a thorough meditation. Hamilton offers lots of different techniques and practices that help you soothe your mind, deal with anxieties or fall asleep. Each episode has a different theme so you can choose what you need to focus on. They are designed to fit into your lunch break or whenever you have a few minutes alone that you can dedicate to your mental health.
Average episode length: 10-15 minutes
- Whoa, That’s Good
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From “Duck Dynasty,” to “Dancing With the Stars,” to becoming a best-selling author of two books, Sadie Robertson has a lot of life experience for a 22-year-old. She found herself surrounded by lots of good advice, so she sits down with successful people and asks them, “What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?” Some of the people she has interviewed include Ben Higgins from “The Bachelor” and Olympic gold-medalist Nastia Liukin. I love this show because it always gets me thinking about how I can be a better person. Robertson and her guests always offer encouragement and a laugh, and the ideas they discuss always spark great conversation in my relationships.
Average episode length: 25-40 minutes
- The Health Code
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An adorable Australian couple, Sarah and Kurt have a Youtube channel called Sarah’s Day. Both on Youtube and on Instagram, they are influencers, health and fitness advocates and generally promote a more rounded life of wellness. Their podcast, The Health Code is a more intimate look into the couple’s life particularly as it relates to health. I love this podcast because they are such genuine, funny and good-spirited people. Listening to them feels like I’m sitting on their porch with a smoothie in my hand, laughing right along with them.
Average episode length: 45 minutes – 1 hour and 30 minutes. However, they do offer some 25-35 minute episodes called “Poddy Nuggets.”
- Literaticast
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Jennifer Laughran, host of Literaticast is a senior literary agent at Andrea Brown in California. As an English major, I have loved gaining all the inside tips into the world of editing and publishing. Laughran specifically works with Children’s and YA authors, which are also my favorite genres. She interviews different people every episode, usually about whatever their specialty or experience is in. Some of the topics she’s covered include bookselling, portfolio building as a freelance writer, how to get an agent and career building tips. This podcast has really helped me understand more about my place in this world as an English major and all the opportunities that are available to me.
Average episode length: 45 minutes – 1 hour
I’m a reader because I love stories, but holding a book behind the wheel is generally frowned upon. Audiobooks are great for most people, but it gets difficult to switch between reading and listening, and it just doesn’t feel the same to me. I love the conversational style of most of these podcasts. Each of these can be found on the Apple Podcast app or my platform of choice, Spotify.