The Best Educational Podcasts and Documentaries
As college students, we spend so much time everyday reading textbooks and watching lectures to learn new things. Most of the time, all of this learning feels exhausting, and the last thing that we want to do with our free time is engage in more learning. However, I have found educational podcasts and documentaries to be something that I really enjoy in my free time! It is so cool to get to learn about something (usually from experts) that I would otherwise have no idea about! Whether you want to try out any of these the next time you have free time or wait until you have more time this winter break, here are some suggestions:
Podcasts:
Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness
This is one of my favorite podcasts (and not just because the host is Jonathan from Queer Eye)! Every week, Jonathan has a question that he is curious about, and he sits down with an expert who discusses the topic with him. I have learned so much from this podcast from contemporary Native Americans’ rights to deep canvassing.
TED Talks Daily
I love watching TED Talks, and I find listening to them in podcast form is more convenient for me than watching them as a video. The topics are so diverse and interesting, and they are short enough that you can turn them on when you are walking to class!
Working
If you are anything like me and so many other college students, you question what job you want to have after college pretty much every day (it’s a struggle). If you tend to feel very limited in what jobs are open to you, this podcast will open you up to so many possibilities. It discusses interesting jobs that we don’t often consider and how these people do their jobs.
Documentaries:
What the Health
This documentary literally changed everything that I thought I knew about healthy eating and processed food. It discusses the link between diets and diseases, and the money at stake in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and food industries.
The Social Dilemma
I know a lot of people have been watching this documentary lately, and it is definitely very relevant to our age group and social media use. This documentary examines the way that social media operates in order to keep us engaged. It definitely made me reflect on my own social media use and cut back a significant amount.
Rising Phoenix
This is definitely the best documentary I have seen in a long time. It is about the Paralympics and the athletes that participate in the variety of sports in the Paralympics. It touches on some of the struggles that the Paralympics have faced, and is an inspiring and touching story on diversity and disability.
About the Author
Kennedy L. is a junior studying Psychology and minoring in Biology. She is from Mokena, IL and has been working at the Raynor Information Desk since her freshman year.
