There’s no question that 2020 has given us more than one curve ball! The way we do our daily activities and how we handle work responsibilities have all had to change as we all learn to navigate this “new normal”. And for many, 2020 has meant a change to some of their biggest plans. Besides weddings and graduation ceremonies having to drastically adjust to adhere to regulations, for those heading off to college this year, their college experience so far has been far from normal.
And college, whether you’re a freshman or senior, is stressful enough, without all these additional worries! So to help you navigate all that you need to handle as you make your way through your studies, we’re sharing some top podcasts just for college students.
1. On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Going off to college gives you the amazing opportunity to learn new things, and along the way, you will learn so much about yourself. However, that process is not always so easy! If you’re feeling lost in a sea of faces, or perhaps you’re experiencing a whole lot of self-doubt, then you need a podcast that’s going to teach you how to love yourself and appreciate all that you are. And the podcast for the job is On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Filled with great interviews, insightful questions, and bucket loads of wisdom, this show will have you clear out all the negative or critical thoughts you have about yourself. Jay presents his content in an incredibly humble manner, and through his open, honest, and thought-provoking conversations, you’ll get some real solutions and strategies to help you overcome all that self-doubt and believe in yourself once again. There’s content covering relationship advice, how to combat negative thinking patterns, as well as how to get rid of those toxic beliefs we hold about ourselves. Listen to just a couple of episodes, and you’ll feel your confidence levels rising, the self-doubt and negative talk diminishing, and you’ll once again feel like you can conquer the world…or, at the very least, nail all those assignments you’ve got lined up for the semester!
2. Before Breakfast
Going off to college may be the first time you’re living on your own, making your own schedule, and sometimes, making new bad habits…whoops! So if you’ve found your first few months at college has caused an exponential growth in your procrastination abilities, then Before Breakfast is just what you need to get you on the right path again! They say you should slay your dragons before breakfast, and that’s exactly what this podcast equips you to do. In each daily episode, host Laura Vanderkam arms you with practical strategies to help you manage your time more effectively, work efficiently, and just get more done in less time so that you’ve got more time to actually enjoy life. The episodes may be bite-sized but they are fully loaded with all the motivation you’ll need to slay any negative habits before your morning cup of your favorite brew even has a chance to cool! Make this podcast a part of your daily intake and you’ll be ready to kick those bad habits to the curb, take back your time, maximize your minutes, and make every moment count as you navigate all the new responsibilities and adventures college life brings.
3. Collegehood Advice
Collegehood Advice is a definite must for first-time college students! But even if you’re well into your studies, or about to complete your degree, there is plenty of useful tips and tricks that you can glean from this podcast! The premise of this podcast is to help listeners develop the skills, habits, and mindsets they need to thrive during college and beyond. (And who doesn’t want that?!) In each weekly episode, college success coach, Katy Oliveira, and her guests share strategies, insights, and tools to help you improve grades, get organized, figure out your major and career, and maximize your investment in college. If you want to know exactly how to stay on top of your homework, find out exactly how Professors grade your papers, or you want to avoid the common mistakes made by freshmen, then you’ll want to hit that “Subscribe” button for this podcast so that you can make the most out of your college years.
4. Career Talk: Learn – Grow – Thrive
Host of Career Talk: Learn – Grow – Thrive, Stephanie Dennis, is on a mission to empower people to take control of their careers by offering holistic career advice. And because of this worthy mission, this podcast is particularly helpful for final year college students who are about to enter the working world. Whether you’re about to start looking for your first job and need some help with your resume, you need some sound career advice, or even if you’ve just had a bad day and need a little pep talk, this podcast has it all in spades. It’s full of solid, actionable tips, practice advice, and will give you a good laugh along the way. The episodes are punchy, there’s no fluff, and you’ll get heaps of useful insight with each and every listen. This podcast is the perfect tool to help you learn, grow, and thrive, no matter where you find yourself along your career path.
5. The Inforium
After doing 300 episodes of The College Info Geek podcast, Thomas Frank and Martin Boehme have shifted to an all-new podcast, The Inforium. Their episodes are still focusing on several of the same areas as before, but with the new podcast, they’ve moved out from under the “college” label so that they are able to add a bit more flexibility to all that they want to share. On The Inforium, Thomas and Martin cover everything from productivity to personal finance and a whole wide range of fascinating topics. There’s witty banter, great advice, and everything you need to help you develop and foster all those good habits you need to see you through whatever phase of life you find yourself in. And with over 300 episodes, there is plenty of amazing content to work your way through!
6. The School of Greatness
The School of Greatness, hosted by Lewis Howes, is a motivational podcast that is focused on helping its listeners discover what it takes to be great in their field. From pro-athletes to top entrepreneurs and business minds, and politicians to celebrities, you’ll learn something valuable from every episode, making this the perfect podcast for college students, no matter your field of study! And more than just hearing wonderfully inspiring notions, you’ll get access to actionable content that you can put into practice in your own life. Lewis and his guests truly delve deep into what success is, and what it takes to achieve that success. At the end of an episode, you’ll feel motivated to keep on chasing your goals and aspirations and it will help keep your focus on track as you balance a demanding course schedule. It’s a great mix of solid content, warm conversation, and wonderful story-telling. So what are you waiting for? Enroll in The School of Greatness today!
7. 6 Minute Grammar
Whether you’re a self-professed (and proud!) Word Nerd, or whether all the grammar rules really grate your gears, we recommend giving 6 Minute Grammar a listen. As the name promises, in 6 minutes, you’ll learn a new key area of English grammar to really help fine-tune your writing. And these skills are pretty vital as you will be doing a lot of writing during your years at college! Whether you’re majoring in any one of the creative writing arts, or whether you’re pre-med, any college course brings with it a significant amount of writing, and what better way to give yourself the upper hand than to make sure you’ve got your grammar down! These quick grammar lessons will steer you in good stead, particularly when you have a professor who’s a stickler for perfect grammar! But most importantly, these episodes will help you actually enjoy learning about grammar! These lessons are far from boring, and between hosts Finn, Emma, Rob, Neil, Sophie, and Alice, they’ll keep you alert and entertained as you grapple with (and master!) all the grammar rules of the English language.
8. The Happiness Lab
You don’t have to be a Science Major to enjoy The Happiness Lab podcast! No matter how much fun you’re having, or how much you’re loving what you’re studying, there are going to be days during your time at college that you’re just not going to feel all that happy. Maybe you’re a little homesick, maybe you didn’t get the grade you had hoped for, or perhaps the sheer amount of work you still need to get through has just got you down. And it’s exactly in those times that you’ll be glad you can step through the doors of the Happiness Lab. Host and Yale Professor, Dr. Laurie Santos, has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale – the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history, which is super impressive! – Dr. Laurie Santos will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness. This podcast is so full of actionable advice and sound knowledge you’ll soon feel the blues fading away, your spirits will be lifted, and you’ll feel empowered to rise to any challenge once again.
9. The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
At some point doing your time at college, you’re likely to find yourself in a Philosophy class, or, at the very least, being roped into some sort of philosophical debate with your classmates or friends. And wouldn’t it be great to be armed with some insight beforehand? And that’s exactly where The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast comes in! The Partially Examined Life is a show hosted by some guys who were at one point set on doing philosophy for a living but then thought better of it. (Their words, not mine!) Each episode is a fun balance between thoughtful insights and flippant thoughts as they dissect the chosen short text. The content is delivered in a way that makes it easy to understand, and in a manner that encourages conversation and sparks curiosity. Whether you’re a complete Philosophy newbie, or you’re in your final year, or even if you just want to gain some skills on how to express your own thoughts more clearly, this podcast is for you!
Closing Thoughts
College can be a scary place. Your first year at college may also be the first time you’re living out on your own, far away from your friends and family and all that is familiar. But these years spent studying are also one grand adventure! A time to learn new things, meet new people and learn more about who you are. And with these podcasts loaded in your podcast player of choice, you’ll be well-equipped and well-prepared to meet any and all of the challenges you face along the way as you enjoy these incredibly special (and occasionally stressful!) times of your life!
