Instead of listening to the same top 40 music over and over, it can be refreshing to pop on something that will feed your curiosity. There’s something about the medium of sound that is so open and honest. Podcasts are great because they can be played while you do something- washing the dishes, exercising, or walking to class- and instantly add value to your time. These podcasts all serve different purposes: to entertain you, teach you, or relax you. Happy listening!
1. The Moth
“True stories told live without notes.” That’s the premise of The Moth, and this simple concept unfolds to reveal thousands of jaw-dropping, heart-wrenching, and tear-jerking stories. The stories cover a wide range of topics – coming out, getting a new haircut, becoming a nun – but what they all have in common is that they are captivating, clever, and concise. You can add a ton of value to your commute by listening to an episode. If you like what you hear, you can even check out live moth events right here in Pittsburgh- share a story of your own or just listen.
Recommended episode: Wedding Dress, Prison Choir, and a Hotdog
2. Find Your Dream Job
The internet is overflowing career advice. While most career websites or podcasts offer up such obvious and unhelpful tips like “dress professionally” or “smile in an interview,” Find Your Dream Job takes a more in-depth approach. The narrators of this podcasts crack away at the physcology of employers and how you can use it to stand out. The guest speakers on the podcast are professionals who have written entire books on how to get hired- they’ve given this stuff a lot of thought. This is an incredibly thoughtful podcast that will give you some advice that you actually may not have heard before. Did you know that there are certain key words you should use to optimize the chances of a search engine finding you?
Recommended ep: Ep. 38: How to Write a Killer Cover Letter, with Susan Rich
3. Sleep to Strange
Calling all insomniacs! This podcast is for you. Have you ever had a professor who was so boring to listen to that you fell asleep listening to their meandering, incohesive ramblings? Scooter, the narrator [of name], has the same kind of voice that will lull you to sleep- that’s the point of the podcast! As you listen to an incredibly dull story about dust bunnies or username generators, you will be snoozing in no time. If you run out of episodes in this podcast, you can check out “Sleep with me | the podcast that puts you to sleep” which is similar content from the same creator.
Recommended ep: Sentient Ipod – Carole King Edition Pt2
4. Happier
We could all use a little more positivity in our lives. Gretchen Reuben knows this, and she’s on a mission to make your life (and her life) happier. In a given episode, you can learn several life hacks to develop healthy habits. You can figure out which of these ideas work for you, whether that be keeping a list of things that make you happy, or learning to reframe the way you think about negative events. For a quick fix, you check out mini-episodes that are titled “A Little Happier.”
Recommended episode: Ep. 143: Down with Boredom
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