I stumbled upon podcasts when I needed something to stimulate my brain and I recalled someone telling me I should try a podcast. So I googled the best podcasts. I got jumbled lists of several different kinds—stand-up comedy, gossipy conversation, science topics, etc. I told my mom I was addicted to podcasts. I begin to explain what they are and she says, "Oh, so talk radio." I said no, but then realized yeah, it's talk radio!

They are great for making long drives go fast. I've tried listening to audiobooks,—Audible is a great app for this!—but I tend to zone out way too much, especially on road trips. When I'm traveling by myself, it's hard to stay awake and entertain myself. So I blare my music, and I call my friends. But at some point, that gets old and I'm worn out.

I downloaded a ton of podcasts before my six-hour trip home, and when I got in the car, I just hit play. And I never hit pause. I listened to Radiolab, Note To Self, and Freakonomics. The stories they told and the voices that told the stories really hit home. The topics ranged from interesting anecdotes of unusual situations to problematic, thought-provoking real-life cases that really got me thinking.

They engage your brain. Some podcasts are information heavy while others are background noise. The ones I really enjoy are stimulating and intriguing. They get me thinking; they boggle my brain and they make me ask questions.

They keep you up-to-date in pop culture. I rarely watch the news. For one, I don't have TV. Second, I don't like watching the news. I have no problem listening to depressing or violent stories happening in our world; it's the way the stories are framed, typically with some agenda and with no tact.

Podcasts can replace Netflix. Don't worry! I'm not saying podcasts should take the place of your favorite show or the latest series your bingeing, but it can replace Netflix as background noise. These days it seems like silence is taboo. We constantly have music playing or the TV streaming. I constantly have either Friends or How I Met Your Mother playing to fall asleep to or to break the silence while I'm working on something.