Spending most of our days at home can easily drive us to be bored. Before lockdown, I wasn’t aware of how podcasts were so varied and entertaining. I wasn’t keen to try this audio-only entertainment form as I enjoyed the visual aspect of my favourite series and just couldn’t imagine being gripped by just someone talking. But this quickly changed.

I started listening to podcasts and have selected three of my favourites to possibly inspire you to try this fairly new form of entertainment.

1. The Daily

In April, during lockdown, I tried to keep myself informed as much as possible about worldwide news and developments regarding coronavirus. Since the pandemic was fairly new at the time, I wanted to be more informed about the potential disrupting impact it could cause globally. Although I like reading online articles from broadcasters, like the BBC or The Guardian, it can be tiring to stare at a screen all day when most of your uni work is also online.

So, I gave this podcast a go and I find it fairly easy to follow. One of the features I like the most is that the host Michael Barbaro is often joined by a guest who has extended knowledge about the topic discussed. They can sometimes be politicians or reporters of the New York Times, who explain facts simply and effectively so that new audiences can understand and expand their knowledge about worldwide events.

Initially, I was intimidated by the fact that it was created by the New York Times; the paper is known for being one of the best sources of high-quality journalism so, I thought I wouldn’t comprehend much of its content since I wasn’t an expert in the field. However, I quickly realised that the podcast is easy to follow along with as it is being produced to raise awareness about newsworthy stories and inform the public.

2. The Michelle Obama Podcast

I started listening to this podcast fairly recently and if you’re looking for something to listen to in the morning, I highly suggest you try this one. The host, Michelle Obama, doesn’t really need any introduction so, when Spotify emailed me about her new podcast being released, I wanted to try it immediately!

Being a news junkie, I’m always up for informative programmes so when I started listening to this podcast, I expected content about American politics and the White House as I mainly associated her as the former First Lady. I was pleasantly surprised by her light-hearted, yet informative, content which discusses a variety of content, like family, friends, relationships as well as her life before becoming a prominent political figure.

This podcast will enlighten you about Michelle Obama, not only as a powerful woman in the worldwide media environment, but also focusing on her role as a black working woman, besides being a mother and wife. She also features guests, who are emotionally close to her, like her brother, husband as well as long-term friends.

3. The Girls Bathroom

When you’re in the mood for something entertaining that doesn’t require much focus, this podcast hosted by Sophia and Cinzia, two best friends, is the perfect choice for you! As the title suggests, two women talk about gossip and answer questions from the audience about relationships and other personal issues.

Their content is entertaining thanks to their bubbly personalities and ability to pull you into their conversation. Podcasts are especially effective in transmitting content in a personalised way, thanks to the only-audio format,  as listeners will feel like hosts are talking directly to them and therefore engaging with them on a personal level.

Another aspect that makes this podcast worth listening to, is that it discusses topics that are of interest to women (primarily) of all ages. For example, they talk about romantic relationships, as well as how to face problems with our friendships and dilemmas in the workplace. The content includes discussions about aspects of our identity and relationships with others, therefore making it easy to relate to and engage with.

Header image credit: The New Yorker