Reading Time: 2 minutes The Moth is the perfect podcast for the listener, the lover, the storyteller, the parent, the child, the student…you get the idea.

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

Reading Time: 2 minutes A student reviews the podcast Another Round

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

Reading Time: 3 minutes This 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.

Zuriel 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?

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?

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

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

	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?

I realized that being honest and proactive about my mental health is priority #1, no matter what. Always share; never run away!

FUN?

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?

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.