Last Wednesday was a remarkable day not only to analyze politics and sulk in the gloom of a cold and rainy West Campus, but to pop in a pair of headphones and listen to a brand new podcast produced by the Opinion section.
In our busy daily lives as Duke students. it is far too easy to get wrapped up in club meetings, hours of work, and Shooters drama. Hangouts with friends are a thing of the past, traded instead for scheduled lunch dates and pencilled-in pregames.
Throughout this past semester, I have been reflecting on my ever-complicated schedule and lamenting the fact that I lack time to hear real, meaningful stories. I miss the conversations that went late into the nights, the ones that stretched my mind and my ability to understand new perspectives.
In an effort to fill this breach, “Chroncast” was born. Each week, the podcast will bring short stories from Duke students and community-members from across campus, all under seven minutes so that you can listen on a C1 bus.
Our first episode features columnist Mihir Bellamkonda, a first-year who authored a ubiquitously-known piece called “Milky pink.” The episode takes a small question, a profound memory, and an everyday conversation and spins it into an important life lesson.
Like Mihir’s story, it’s possible that this series could be seen as all too trivial. After all, each episode is a mere seven minutes, barely a fraction of a day.
Yet, even seven minutes can make an impact. Weekly audio episodes may not cure your busy schedule, and they may not bring you closer to your friends.
But perhaps the next best thing is to provide a catalyst for you to change these things for yourself. “Chroncast” has allowed me—and hopefully will allow our listeners—to take a moment each day to dig deeper. It’s easy to live life passively, taking hits as they come, never questioning our position on this campus or in this world. It’s easy to forget to invest in personal relationships and in stories from loved ones—to fail to challenge our own perceptions of life.
Wrapping your morning commute in a short and inspiring story from a peer or friend can be an experience that motivates you to find more meaning in your own life. And in a busy and bustling day, isn’t that what we’re all looking for?
Leah Abrams is a Trinity sophomore. Her column, “cut the bull,” runs on alternate Fridays. You can download the “Chroncast” podcast on iTunes and Google Play.
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Leah Abrams is a Trinity senior and the Editor of the editorial section. Her column, "cut the bull," runs on alternate Fridays.