Student Blog: Best Summer Podcast Recommendations

Summer is finally here and for many people that means using new found free time for productivity or relaxation. Whether it be binging new shows on the wide variety of streaming services, discovering new music to share with friends or traveling to other places to create memories, there are plenty of ways to make summer yours. The possibility of entertainment is endless, but in case you are looking for podcasts to listen to during the warm months, I have plenty of amazing recommendations for you! From everything to true crime to romance stories, these podcasts are some of my favorites and are guaranteed to become some of your best listens this summer. So sit back, grab your headphones and dive into these fantastic podcasts.

1) Modern Love
You may have heard of the Modern Love column that has resided in The New York Times for over sixteen years now. The column is home to countless love stories that allow readers to feel the emotions involved with complicated love lives of others. Since its creation, Modern Love has been adapted into a TV show, books and now this wonderful podcast. I discovered Modern Love by complete accident one day when checking the news online and saw the small ad for the podcast's newest episode which featured Ben Platt. Of course, my curiosity and love for Platt had me clicking on the ad and listening to the episode. Immediately, I was sucked in and loved the podcast right off the bat. I'm a sucker for good love stories and each episode is a different heartwarming or heartbreaking antidote read by well known celebrities before talking to the original author. The twenty or so minutes is entrancing to say the least, but is both a simple and great listen if you're looking for some love in your life.
Favorite episodes: Words With (I Wish We Were More Than) Friends With Ben Platt, How Bibliophiles Flirt With Uzo Aduba, Somewhere Inside, a Path to Empathy With Daniel Radcliffe

2) Gals on the Go
In all honesty, this is my most recent podcast find (thank you TikTok), but it is already an all time favorite. Best friends Brooke and Danielle host this podcast where they talk about everything and anything in their episodes including their own experiences with important topics, their current favorites and discuss questions that many people in their twenties can relate to. As someone in this age demographic and interested in hearing other's opinions/thoughts on a variety of topics like social media use, body image and life advice, this podcast perfect. The two of them are both hilarious but insightful which makes listening to this podcast feel like a safe place. For anyone who is curious on where to go in the decade of your life that can seem beyond confusing or wants a good laugh mixed with an even better conversation, Gals on the Go is the best podcast option for you. The episodes are on the longer side, but are perfect to accompany you on workouts or commutes. Promise you won't regret listening to this one!
Favorite episodes: how to turn your life around + get out of a slump (for real), 24 things I learned before I turned 24, our social media confessions: unfollowing, screen time reveal, boundaries

3) Missing on 9/11
Similar to millions of others who were either too young to remember or not yet born, September 11th is intriguing for a multitude of reasons. However, beyond the basic facts of the tragedy and what happened that fateful day in Lower Manhattan, there are several unsolved mysteries about 9/11 that continue to exist even now twenty years later. One of them happens to be the disappearance of a woman named Sneha Anne Philip who went missing the night before the attacks, but still remains unfound. This podcast focuses on both telling her story while also trying to solve the decades long mystery of what really happened to Sneha and if she can really be labeled as a victim of 9/11. With the use of real audio clips from that day, connections to various websites or videos for context and interviews with individuals involved with the case, Missing on 9/11 brings to life the reality of the tragedy and how strange Sneha's case is. Each episode is the perfect mix of true crime and history all packed into roughly forty minutes making this podcast a must listen.
Favorite episodes: 9/10, 9/11, 9/12

4) Blind Dating
This podcast is exactly what you're thinking it is. Falling in love during this day in age usually requires a dating app, mutual friend, spontaneous meeting or a blind date. Well, Blind Dating takes the dating game to the next level by pairing individuals together through a series of questions with the hope a couple destined for happy ever after will be put together. Each episode is about twenty or so minutes and features three individuals, two "contestants" and one who chooses their match. Without the limits of age, gender, sexuality or interests, this podcast is perfect to listen to if you love reality TV shows or like the element of surprise and suspense about who is going to be chosen. It was an accidental find for me, but I easily listened to at least ten episodes in one day, it's that good! Dive into Blind Dating when you need that extra hint of drama and potential love stories this summer.
Favorite episodes: Cody: No Stranger To A Cold Shower, Gabriella: Thrills, Skills & Kills, Laura: Better Be Funny To Be My Honey

Although these are only a few recommendations out of the millions of podcasts that exist, I hope you enjoy the ones that have become my favorites and are sure to make your summer more enjoyable. The amount of love stories, true crime or advice that's available is amazing and if you give any of these fantastic podcasts a listen, I hope they bring the same kind of joy into your life!