I don’t have to be the one to tell you that the late November weeks can feel like a bit of a slog when it comes to schoolwork. Everyone seems to be cramming their notes, reading weeks (possibly months) old textbook chapters and taking a few more naps than they probably should. 

It’s a lot to handle, so why not make the moments in between assignments a little easier to handle by listening to some light-hearted, laugh-ridden podcasts?

The Basement Yard

Seeing as there is no real goal of informing anyone of anything in this issue of  Podcasts for your Major, why don’t we start out with a podcast that is kind of like Seinfeld – “a show about nothing” (in particular).

Started in 2015, The Basement Yard is a weekly podcast hosted by former Vine star turned entrepreneur and comedian, Joe Santagato, and his childhood friend, Frank “Frankie” Alvarez. Each episode features the duo talking back and forth about their day-to-day lives, telling stories from their childhood, and arguing over pop culture and trends on social media. 

While the above description may sound a bit bland, episode titles such as: “Bring Back The Weinermobile”, “Do You Pee in the Sink?”, “Is the Green M&M Too Sexy” and “Decoding Bad Bunny’s Lyrics” likely provide a more apt idea of what the show is about… namely anything on the hosts minds. Perhaps in some capacity it is better to think of this podcast less like a traditional ‘show’, and more akin to the sorts of conversations you would have among your friends at the lunch table or late at night at the bar.

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars on Spotify with over 23,000 reviews, this podcast seems to surely be a winner if you’re wanting to laugh some of the day away. With episodes that are roughly an hour each, this is the perfect podcast to listen to while eating lunch or commuting home or back to your dorm.

The Broski Report with Brittany Broski

Whether you’ve seen the Kombucha meme that launched her career, watched her appearances on YouTube channels such as Cody Ko, Hot Ones, and Trixie Mattel, or merely heard the numerous comedic audios that exist of her claiming to “need [someone] biblically,” you’ve probably been subjected to Brittany Broski’s comedic chops – without even knowing. If you’ve found any of the aforementioned interactions with her work entertaining, then The Broski Report is just for you.

Stylized as a modern parody of 1940s radio shows, this podcast features the “Supreme … fearless and tyrannical leader” of the Broski Nation “obsessing over, learning about, [and] crying about” celebrities, classic American literature, massive historical events like Chernobyl and Wattpad fanfiction. It’s quite the mixed bag. If such a clinical description is too much and you’d prefer something more anecdotal, my girlfriend lovingly described it as “like being on FaceTime at 2:30 in the morning with your long distance friend while manic and tired.” You should take her word for it… I know I would.

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars and ranked number 8 in the Comedy podcasts section on Spotify, The Broski Report, can be a second stream of consciousness that can bounce around your head after you’ve filled it with all the notes and facts from your classes’ flashcards. Some episodes I’d recommend are “11: Hozier and Mortality”, “13: Tumblr Literature Renaissance” and “16: TikTok Whimper Audios and Ernest Hemingway.”

2 Bears, 1 Cave

Rounding off this list, 2 Bears, 1 Cave is another roundtable comedy podcast all focused on creating laughs, both for the hosts and the audience alike. Unlike the others, this podcast is a little less PG-friendly, dipping into crude (often equally stupid) humour and content that would be more than likely rated R.

Hosted by comedians Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer, this podcast was described by Alison Osborne of Quill Podcasting as “a hilariously inappropriate comedy series”, where the hosts going on “tangents and gett[ing] distracted” are key to the “beauty” of the show. With episodes roughly an hour long, 2 Bears, 1 Cave takes you into the den of two of America’s top comedians currently in the business. If you won’t take my word for it, perhaps the seven Netflix comedy specials held between the duo and 4.8 star rating on Spotify may sway your mind.

While the comedy on this podcast is a bit more ‘bro-ish’ – sort of like listening to your drunk uncles tell stories of when they were young and dumb – it’s definitely worth a listen for those who like frat-bro humour and the big energy that comes along with it.

Give yourself a break this finals season. Make sure to stick your nose into the books when necessary, and leave time to stick earbuds into your ears so you can let out some laughs and de-stress to ease the mood. After all, they say laughter is the best medicine… I just wouldn’t expect the campus pharmacy to tell you that.