Apps and podcasts we love: The Moth

Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Moth is the perfect podcast for the listener, the lover, the storyteller, the parent, the child, the studentâ€Ķyou get the idea.

Student spotlight: Liam

Reading Time: 2 minutesLearn a few fun facts about our recent student contributor.

Apps and podcasts we love: How To Do Everything

Reading Time: 2 minutesLooking for an entertaining podcast? This one’s for you.

Apps + podcasts we love: TED Radio Hour

Reading Time: 3 minutesThis TED Radio Hour podcast examines the stress associated with “decision fatigue” and empowers you to hone in on what you really want out of life.

Apps + podcasts we love: Quizlet

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MartinMartin M., third-year student at San Bernardino Valley College, California

 

“Not going to lie, I usually don’t want to study for my classes. That may have something to do with Netflix and YouTube being readily available, but either way, with Quizlet, I find myself studying all the time. Quizlet offers two different study methods: the familiar flash cards (which you can practice with an added feature of receiving a score on how well you’re remembering), and diagrams, which are composed of pictures with information you can input. It sounds clichÃĐ, but it helped me study without really feeling like I was studying.”

Useful?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Can I rate it a 10/5? Quizlet has millions of flash cards created by its users and even suggests definitions based on the terms you type in when making your own. I actually found the majority of the terms I needed to learn on the app—which means I spent about a third of the time I usually spend making flash cards by hand when creating them on the app. And the time I saved I used to study!

Fun?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
The diagrams on the app are composed of a photo with information you input. You can take a picture of a room, for example, and then tap objects to input that information. It’s super cool and works really well for visual learners like myself.

Effective?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
I got a high score on my computer information technology test after reviewing the material with Quizlet. Can Netflix do that? Probs not.

Get it on Google Play   Download on the app store[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Apps + podcasts we love: Invisibilia

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Zuriel RasmussenZuriel R., second-year graduate student, Portland State University, Oregon 

 

Reviewed episodes

  • “How to Become Batman” (January 22, 2015)
  • “The New Norm” (June 17, 2016) 

“Invisibilia explores how the almost imperceptible differences in the way we think or behave can have huge impacts on our lives. In these two episodes, the hosts, Lulu Miller, Hanna Rosin, and Alix Spiegel, tell lively, well-researched stories about the power of expectations and social norms.” 

Useful?
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Useful and fascinating! You learn all about how small changes in behavior can make a big difference in outcomes. In “How to Become Batman,” a blind man explains how he can ride a bike by using simple clicking noises. We could all use this kind of ingenuity!

Fun?
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The wit and laughter of the hosts weaves seamlessly with their thoughtful and intelligent questions. The hosts pose intriguing questions right at the beginning of each podcast—questions like: “Can a rat’s behavior change based on the researcher’s expectations alone?” or “Why was it so hard to open a McDonald’s in Russia?” It was difficult to stop listening; I look forward to checking out more of their episodes!

Would you recommend this to someone?

I would recommend this podcast to anyone interested in psychology, behavior, or popular science. It encourages listeners to be more aware of subtle, simple things, like smiling or crying—things that have the potential to change (or save) your life.

Where to find it

https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510307/invisibilia

The One You Feed Podcast

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Mental health series (January 28, 2015–September 7, 2016)
The One You Feed Media

Sarah

Sarah Nicole Henderson

Fourth-year undergraduate majoring in English and minoring in chemistry, University of New Mexico

“The creators Eric Zimmer and Chris Ford say on their website: ‘we were both prone to being sad sacks, so we figured we needed the content of the show as much or more than any listeners.’ By interviewing successful authors, comedians, psychologists, and others who have pushed through the angst, they demonstrate how to live better with issues like depression and anxiety. These episodes invite us to improve our mental wellbeing without beating ourselves up for whatever tends to get in our way.”

USEFUL?
5 out of 5 star rating
I realized that being honest and proactive about my mental health is priority #1, no matter what. Always share; never run away!

FUN?
5 out of 5 star rating
Daydreaming can actually improve mental health. Just WOOP your life: wish it, see the outcomes and obstacles, and then plan it. Be proactive. WOOP it up.

EFFECTIVE?
4 out of 5 star rating
Whether it’s being honest, sharing, or WOOPing, this podcast definitely made me want to take charge of my mental health—something left to the wayside since I started college.