Heather Evans Editorial

Hi all, I’m back again. Firstly, I apologise for the slight delay in this post. I have been trying to be productive doing adult things, like finding a new job, than being productive in doing things I actually enjoy. Fear not, this means I have had a bit more time to think about what I want to write about.

This post is inspired by my working commutes that shall cease to exist in the next week (huzzah, I hear you cry), and spending time with my friend complaining about the prospect of unemployment – shout out to my pal, Hatty.

Since becoming an employed lady, I have realised how difficult the real world of adulthood can really be. And how difficult it is to be awake for it. The routine of waking up at 6:00am and returning back to your flat at 19:30pm every evening from Monday to Friday grinds you down, especially when you are doing a job that isn’t necessarily your dream. You arrive home, eat, then sleep. Repeat.

With this in mind, I haven’t had the energy to read books on my commutes as I never see daylight to or from work, and I am constantly trying to stay awake with a coffee in hand. Soz. Alternatively, I have recently been listening to podcasts to kill my time on my daily travels, and I would love to tell you about how brill they are in keeping me sane.

The Positives of the Podcast

1. It is something different. I love music as much as the next person does, do not get me wrong. I am also aware that Spotify exists and that there is a plethora of radio stations that one can listen to provide the music for your ears. However, sometimes it does get boring and monotonous. Once you have exhausted all of your playlists and listened to enough Nick Grimshaw to make you never want to wake up, it just becomes noise. It becomes another part of your strict routine and, from experience, you consequently start to resent everything you have ever downloaded onto your phone. Podcasts have broken this chain for me, and I start every day as a new day rather than a continuation of blurred journeys and hours.
   

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2. Podcasts are in plenty. You never have to fear that you won’t find something for you. The amount of choice you have in choosing a podcast to listen to is staggering, if not overwhelming. From audiobooks to non-fiction, from funny to thought-provoking, from something educational to something plain ole’ silly. I guarantee there is a podcast that will match you and your mood, whether you had a terrible or brilliant day in the office.
   

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3. You learn something new everyday. I genuinely believe that listening to podcasts has made me look at things in a different way. Whether that is from listening to podcasts about ‘wrongly’ convicted criminals, to rarely known facts about our history, to philosophical thought experiments that can be made applicable to our society.  Rather than being a dead brain on a train that only thinks about work, I like that I maybe look at wider issues and situations in a different, more perspective light, maintaining a bit of my own self in the corporate world.
   

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4. Not all podcasts are a commitment. Unlike reading a book, you don’t need to start at the beginning and follow a story. Of course, some do follow a story week by week, but if you want to just dip your toes, or rather your ears, into a podcast, you can. You are not obliged to listen to a whole podcast unless it does really engage you – simply move on.
   

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5. It is something else to talk about rather than your job. Most of my friends have reached the age where we are working or still studying, and it is really easy to fall into the trap of work absorbing all of our conversations. However, similar to watching Netflix or a TV series, you can discuss the podcasts you have been listening to and encourage others to listen in so no one feels fomo – (definition: fear of missing out). It brings some new spice to your WhatsApp group and their differing viewpoints can make you reflect on your own.
   

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6. Finally, it’s free. We all like free entertainment, or anything free for that matter. So what’s there to complain about?

A Beginner’s Suggestions

Keeping things short and sweet, here’s a brief description of the app I use to get my podcasts and the ones I am currently listening to.

App: Castbox.

Differing from most millennials, I do not have a single Apple product and have stuck with my Android. I find Castbox really easy to use for a podcast novice. When downloading Castbox, it initially asks for your interests and tries to guide you towards podcasts that you will enjoy, giving you categories such as Music, Comedy, Politics etc. After that, the world of podcasts is your oyster, allowing you to subscribe and download anything that takes your fancy.

If you need some initial guidance, the podcasts I would recommend are:

• My Dad Wrote a Porno – I wrote about this in my 2017 post, but if you are looking for something hilarious and awkward to listen to on the train, this is for you. The title kinda is all you need to know about the content – someone’s dad wrote an erotic novella, and episode by episode his son and his pals digest each chapter’s glorious contents.
• Radiolab – This is one that is non-committal. If you looking for something to make you think, this is a good podcast to start with. I would highly recommend the Driverless Driving episode, which explores the moral impact cars may possess in the future.
• Serial –  I won’t say too much about this one in case of spoilers or accidentally influencing your opinion, but the first series of this podcast discusses the conviction of Adnan Syed in relation to the murder of his ex-girlfriend back in 1999. Did he do it? Following his story week by week, Sarah Koenig discusses his case neutrally for you to figure out what your verdict is.

Anyway, I hope I have sold podcasts to anyone who is thinking about joining the gang. The next one I shall be listening to is Ed Miliband’s Reasons to be Cheerful after numerous recommendations, so I’ll let you know how I get on with that.

Happy listening!

Hev xo