By Abigail Dotterer || Staff Writer
Besides looking cool when saying that you listen to podcasts, there are benefits listening to them in general. According to Forbes in 2017, at least 112 million Americans have listened to podcasts, 67 listening to them monthly.
Optimize time, multi-tasking
The first pro about podcasts is that really, you can listen to them anywhere. In the car, on the bus, or even in the shower. They can work as good background noise while working out at the gym, so while you are exercising your body, your mind is as well. Listening to an audio-drama can make a plane or car ride go by faster, making yourself realize that the time flew by.
Picking up on New Interests
By scanning through your built-in podcasts app on your phone or the secotion on Spotify, you can find shows on almost anything. Politics? Check. Sports? Check? You can find a podcast about almost anything. There are tons of different topics, from broadcasts like “The History of English” to “Canadian True Crime.”
Listening to podcasts can also be helpful while attempting to learn a new language. There are several out there that tell the country’s news and grammatical concepts at slow paces. It can be good to listen to dialogues in your target language to improve your listening skills as well as increase your vocabulary for potential speaking situations.
Staying Informed
A big reason why I am slowly getting into more podcasts is to know more about the happenings within our government and our political climate. For news like this, I’ve started to listen to shows like “Can He Do That?” from The Washington Post which focuses on Donald Trump’s presidency, since it is “unlike any other that’s come before it,” says the podcast description. Besides this, “The Daily” from the New York Times is another option as well for domestic politics.
“Pod Save America” is an interesting podcast to listen to as it includes four former aides to President Obama joined by journalists, activists, politicians, and comedians to have a “freewheeling conversation about politics, the press, and the challenges posed by the Trump presidency.”
But besides listening to super serious political podcasts, it’s nice to keep up with the entertainment industry through these shows as well. Dax Shephard’s “Armchair Expert”interviews several celebrities, even the ones that usually conduct interviews themselves including Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien, and Ellen DeGeneres.
Personal Growth
If you look for them, there are many lifestyle podcasts out there, giving tips on how to improve one’s living habits. Some of these include “The Good Life Project” and “UnF*ck Your Brain” which is “the podcast for high-achieving feminist women who struggle with anxiety, self-doubt, and imposter syndrome,” according to the Spotify description label. Other podcasts like this include “Gals on the Go” which is geared for college students about various topics including independence, careers, and body image.
Podcasts can be slipped into anytime during the day, whether if it’s when you are cleaning the house or sitting on the bus. They another option to spend your time, allowing you to learn something new, even if it’s ten minutes or up to two hours.
First-Year Abigail Dotterer is a Staff Writer. Her email is adottere@fandm.edu.