Tune down stress, turn up these amazing podcasts on your next walk
The weather is slowly but surely turning from refreshingly crisp to unbearable cold, so students are getting their final days of autumn walks in before Thanksgiving break and the eventual seasonal demise of the "hot girl walk."
Podcasts are the best way to completely zone into your walk and tune out the stress of everyday life and anxiety over the approaching finals season.
"The Toast" is not only the most successful millennial morning show but would also blow any network morning show out of the water in humor, personality and watchability.
"The Toast" is hosted by two New York-born and bred sisters, Jackie and Claudia Oshry, who are equally hilarious and entertaining. They offer listeners different lifestyles to relate to different viewers. Claudia Oshry is a New York City starlet who loves to talk about her escapades in the city club scene and her personal friendships with fabulous influencers. Jackie Oshry is a new mom who keeps listeners up to date on all things regarding life in the suburbs of Boca Raton, Florida.
"The Toast" posts daily on the weekdays with the sisters first catching listeners up to speed on the happenings of their own lives. They then move on to the "Fast Five," which are the five most important pop culture stories from that day. Jackie and Claudia Oshry are hysterical and often make hot takes that are right on the money.
"The Toast" is the perfect choice for a start-of-the-day walk and an excellent replacement for the stale morning show alternatives on TV.
"Match Made in Manhattan" is a rom-com in a podcast form — which might be the greatest development of the 21st century.
It's hosted by three New York City 20-somethings navigating the shark tank that is dating in the city. The trio is helmed by YouTube and Instagram influencer and graphic designer, Katy Bellotte. She has never been in love and is on the quest to find her match with the help of best friends and podcast co-hosts Adam Harrison and Colbie Cassidy.
From getting ghosted by investment bankers to going to Fire Island, New York, with married men to the Hinge dating app messaging nightmares, the hosts share it all. They make anyone voyaging through online dating in this day in age feel less alone. This podcast works as a series, so any interested listeners should start from episode one and listen their way through to the most recent episode.
Instead of rewatching "Sex and the City" for the fifth time, take a listen to "Match Made in Manhattan" to find some solace in the fact that dating is a minefield — even for those who seem to have everything else figured out.
"Poured Over" is the best nerdy podcast for when listeners are looking to be intellectually stimulated on afternoon walks through Cook campus or Buccleuch Park in New Brunswick.
"Poured Over" is hosted and created by the sharp and acute Miwa Messer, and it is the official podcast of Barnes & Noble. During each episode, Messer interviews a different author on their bestselling novel. She gives readers insight into the creativity behind their favorite stories and answers their biggest questions after finishing the book.
Messer is an inquisitive interviewer who always asks the right questions and never fails to interview the most compelling authors. The best part is listeners do not have to read the book that the author is being interviewed about. More often than not, the episodes dive deeper than just a discussion of the book. The episodes turn into philosophical commentary on themes and subjects explored by the readers — which would be interesting for any podcast listener.
"Poured Over" is like an old book, warm cafe and burning fireplace in a podcast that is perfect for walkers on a mission to get lost in their thoughts with a little inspiration.
In the competition of comedy podcasts, "SmartLess" wins in a landslide. It is hosted by comedic veterans Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes, and the weekly episodes feature high-profile guests like President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Tom Hanks and LeBron James, just to name a few.
This podcast is styled in the typical interview format, where each episode highlights a different celebrity, and the hosts ask them juicy questions you've never heard answered before. What makes this podcast different from the overabundance of other podcasts is how genuinely hilarious the hosts are and how authentic their friendship is.
All three men are known for their work in laugh-out-loud sitcoms like "Arrested Development" and "Will & Grace," so their comedic timing, playful bits and comical impressions are well practiced for the podcast. Listening to "SmartLess" on a walk is the answer to successfully decompressing after a tough exam or a particularly busy day.
"Miss Congeniality with Eli Rallo"
This podcast is hosted by the TikTok and Instagram influencer (and soon-to-be author) Rallo. It is a mishmash of podcast styles that never fails to be entertaining.
Rallo gained popularity during quarantine from her TikTok account "The Jarr," which chronicled the life of her family’s snack jar. After gaining followers from videos about her and her brother’s snack choices of the day, Rallo continued to grow her accounts with personal videos about her job in journalism, her life in New York City and her hope to become a published author.
Fast forward to the present day, and Rallo is currently in the editing stages of her first book and speaking about the book writing and publishing process on her podcast, among other things. "Miss Congeniality with Eli Rallo” is not just a look into Rallo’s life but also a look into her brain as she discusses topics on her mind like body positivity, anxiety coping mechanisms, dating advice and more hot-button issues. This podcast is fun and often feels like a breath of fresh air that would make for a great listen during any type of walk.
There are an infinite amount of podcasts to choose from between all the listening platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Make sure to give these crowd-pleasing podcasts a listen as you soak up the last few weeks of fall leaves around campus.
