Podcasts You Need To Listen To
Let it be said that I am a massive podcast fan.
I commute to college most days via the train. No, I don’t drive yet, it’s a slow process. And rather then spending my hour long journey staring at a phone I like to listen to things: music, podcasts, nature sounds etc. I think podcasts are one of the greatest inventions of man! It’s really engaging to have someone speak to you and I find that I pay so much more attention than when I read. Podcasts are a great way to learn so many different things, and see into a slice of so many different lives and places.
Here are some of my absolute favorites:
Confessions of a Surf Lady
Welcome to Confessions of a Surf Lady! A podcast by iaera surf and a place where you can confess and openly share your thoughts and experiences as a woman on the water. We take anonymous confessions about different topics and discuss the on our show. It’s our goal to tell an authentic story of the female surfer and represent you how you want to be represented.
I think that this podcast is so special and goes beyond a recording. It is a community of women that share and connect with each other. I love listening to the experiences of women from all over the world and their surfing stories.
The Economist Asks
One question posed to a high-profile newsmaker, followed up with lively debate. Anne McElvoy hosts the economists chat show. Published every Friday on Economist radio.
As an economics and politics student, I think that the Economist is one of the best news sources. They give really cover stories from all over the world with a really neutral political view, which is hard to find these days. I love the economist asks because it talks to so many interesting people from a lot of different backgrounds, so there’s definitely something for everyone.
Economist Radio
The economist was founded in 1834 “to throw white light on the subject within its range”.
Like I said before, The Economist brilliant. This section of their podcast is mostly the audio version from their magazine and the topics covered is so big in range. It’s definitely worth subscribing and listening, especially if you don’t want to pay for The Economist subscription because the main articles of the week are published here in audio format.
Freakonomics Radio
Discover the hidden side of everting with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, freakonomcs rad tells you things you always thought yu knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) – from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other under achievers.
Everyone needs to listen to Stephen Dubner. This podcast is amazing! Whenever I listen to it, it makes me so curious about life. There’s definitely an episode for everyone in this podcast especially since a lot of the topics covered are relevant to our lives. If you ever find yourself at a loose end, this is the perfect thing to listen to.
The Girls Bathroom
The girls bathroom is a place we all know to be full of girl chat and gossip, and te place we often confide in girls we’ve never even met before! In this podcas we want to help you with your dilemas, by trying to make sense of these boys wasting ou time, girls trying to mak eour lives difficult and all the things in between.
This podcast is one of my guilty pleasures. Cinzia and Sophia are two of the most relatable young women I have ever listened to. And sometimes it’s nice to sit back, relax and be comfortable in the knowledge that we all love a bit of gossip. Their YouTube is definitely worth checking out as well!
Global News Podcast
The day’s top stories from BBC News. Delivered twice a day on weekdays, daily at weekends.
I started listening to this podcast because I am a politics and economics student, but it has very much become a part of my ‘routine’. I tend to get bored with British news outlets because they lean towards being Britain-centric. The Global News Podcast, takes you all around the world, keeping you up to date with the events from all seven continents that you might not otherwise know about. Everyone should be listening to this podcast!
innerFrench (intermediate French podcast)
Learn French in context thanks to these interesting topics designed for intermediate learners.
This podcast is perfect for all my A-level French students. I use this podcast every week or so just to practice my listening skills. The French is aimed at A level students, so it’s relatively easy to understand and the host speaks at a pace that you can keep up with. The topics covered are all really interesting and relevant to todays society. innerFrench have podcasts for all levels of French, there’s something for all learners.
The Lineup with Dave Prodan
World surf league’s dave Pordan breaks things down with influential figures from all across the surf landscape. Hear the behind-the-scenes stories and unfiltered opinions to get a deeper sense of who they are and how they’ve influenced the sport and culture of surfing.
My favourite podcast! I love chilling out to Dave’s mellow voice and learning about the surf community from all over the world. From world champions to film makers, shapers to activists, the conversations give an insight into the surf world. I’m so often inspired by the conversations held and learn so much about the surf industry.
People I (mostly) admire
Steve Levitt, the iconoclastic University of Chicago economist and author of the Freakonomics book series, tracks down other high achievers and asks questions that only he would think to ask.
Steve Levitt is such a lovely person to listen to! The people he talks with are often so inspiring and have such powerful messages that stem from so many different lives and backgrounds. It’s definitely more of a podcast to geek out about, but as a self-appointed geek this podcast is really interesting. If you’re an economics student, you need to read Levitt’s book Freakonomics, it’s very interesting.
The Red Box Politics Podcast
News podcast of the year: Matt Chorley presents the best interviews, analysis and panel discussions from his Times Radio show.
Another podcast for the politics students in the UK, or those that are interested in politics enerally. Matt Chorley gives great analysis on UK politics of today and takes in depth looks at the goings on of Westminster. Some funny interviews and engaging debates. I often download this one for the mornings I hve politics class.
Waterpeople Podcast
Sit with some of the most adept waterpeople on the planet to explore common themes of aquatic lives lived well: ecology, adventure, community, activism, science, egalitarianism, inclusivity, meaningful play. And, surfing, of course.
A more recent addition to my podcast list, Waterpeople covers a wide range of topics, all of which I love to learn about. It’s really interesting to hear about so many different peoples’ life experiences, especially those which have been life changing. If you consider yourself a water person of sorts, this podcast is perfect for you and worth a listen!
You might like the sound of some of these, you might not. It’s always worth a listen. You never know, you might discover something new.
I use Spotify to listen to my podcasts, but there are plenty of other platforms like Ipod and Acast.
Have fun listening.
Florence x