Over the past month, students and staff have been doing a multitude of activities to keep busy physically and mentally. One popular activity that I have been getting into is listening to podcasts. 

Whether it’s just having one on in the background while doing household chores or actually sitting down to listen and gain insightful or useful knowledge, there are plenty of genres and shows to choose from that will meet everybody’s podcast needs.

A couple of categories to choose from include news, comedy, sports, business, health and fitness and even shows for children. During this chaotic time in all of our lives, it is important to keep a positive headspace. 

For some, that might be staying up to date on all things related to the coronavirus pandemic. Podcast shows such as “The Daily” by The New York Times or “COVID-19: What You Need To Know” by ABC News would be fitting to listen to. 

For others, listening to any more information about this pandemic may push you into a negative headspace and one might need something lighter. 

Senior Gianna Longo said she enjoys listening to “The Morning Toast.”

“I like listening to podcasts for information, but also entertainment,” Longo said. “‘The Morning Toast’ is all about celebrity drama.”

This is the perfect show to listen to if you need a good laugh. It was created and hosted by two Jewish sisters from Long Island, now living in New York City, who keep up with and essentially talk about all things celebrity and entertainment-related. If you are into what goes on in the entertainment world, I highly recommend checking it out.

Some other podcast shows that I would recommend are “The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast,” “The Joe Rogan Experience” and “Crime Junkie.” They are all different genres of podcast shows and each bring their own essence. 

“The Skinny Confidential” is my personal favorite. It is hosted by a dynamic, entrepreneurial couple that have raw and unfiltered conversations about topics and questions that listeners ask. 

They bring on plenty of guest speakers from world-class leaders, best-selling authors, athletes, spiritual leaders and experts. Their most recent episode, “Misery Loves Company — An Argument For More Positivity,” is a great episode to bring you some positivity during quarantine. 

If this genre does not interest you, check out “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Comedian Joe Rogan has been a podcast hit for quite some time. 

He engages in plenty of thought-provoking and intriguing conversations with special guests while still maintaining some comedy throughout. His podcasts are full of passion, knowledge and insightful information. 

“Crime Junkie” is hosted by two females who love telling true crime stories. If you are a crime junkie, look no further because you will be hooked.

UC’s Assistant Professor of Marketing Chris Tingley even has his own podcast show called “The Heavy Metal Hangover” that will give listeners a laugh and distraction from real life.

“The show is all talk, meant to sound like two guys at a pub having a few drinks and talking about heavy metal,” Tingley said. “Each week, we have different topics related to heavy metal music and the show has evolved to being as much comedy as it is music commentary.”

These genres of podcast shows provide an escape from reality during this time for not only the listeners, but the creators as well.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our listeners have told us that we helped make a chaotic time a little more fun,” Tingley said.

Creating your own podcast could be just as easy as finding one to listen to. There is little equipment and knowledge of production required. If you’ve searched high and low for a show that interests you and cannot find one, create your own. Talk about what interests you, get creative. Some creators even use their podcast as a therapeutic outlet. 

“My best advice for creating a brand is this: Think of everything you do that someone can’t reproduce — that is your brand,” Tingley said. “If you can’t think of anything someone else can’t produce, then you have no brand.”