When I first found podcasts back in 2016, I was looking for GCSE revision advice. I stumbled across a video on Thomas Frank’s channel to do with revision cards. I know it sounds boring, but when he said he had a podcast called the CIG podcast, I was intrigued. “What is a podcast?” I thought to myself.
The first time upon opening the Apple Podcasts app and whoosh! I had discovered something I loved.
Podcasts are conversations that interesting people have about interesting topics, and you can only hear them talk about it ( unless they record it visually as well). I thought there was only a few podcasts, but then I found HUNDREDS OF THEM. Loads of little ear biscuits that I can consume to my hearts end.
I couldn’t stop listening. On the bus, on the train, in the car and walking home; podcasts came everywhere with me. Some were amazing, some were just awful, but I was grateful that I can critique these with free will.
Podcasts taught me something interesting. I am unable to focus on two things at a time; my attention is to split between them. Though I try to make myself focus on both, I can’t. Walking is about the only thing I can do and listen, because podcasts don’t use your eyes, but anything else, such as listening to music whilst revising, is hard for me to do.
Also, podcasts taught me to have a balanced life when it came to usage. It is all well and good listening to other conversations, but when you’re not creating interesting ones yourself, that is when it is an issue. Podcasts give interesting topics to talk about, use it sometimes.
Now, in 2020, even with the quarantine happening around us all, I still do not listen to podcasts as much as I used to. Do I sometimes listen to a 3 hour Joe Rogan experience? Yes, but I look for the best one beforehand, so I’ll enjoy it. Is my focus less diverted these days, that’s the beauty of noise cancelling headphones, but without listening to any music (OCD fires up).
Overall, podcasts have made an extreme impact on my life. They have made me more conversational, taught me different tricks in charisma, academia and psychology. I will always love podcasts, remember you can make a conversation interesting the same way you hear on a podcasts. Don’t always listen to what’s in your pocket, listen to those around you.
From My View 