Transcript

Welcome to Liv’s College Diaries, where we dive into the heart of college life. Today, we’re exploring a serene yet impactful part of our campuses, the outdoor spaces. Let’s discover how these green havens boost our well -being, academics, and social connections.

Imagine a place where stress fades away, creativity blooms, and friendships blossom. Outdoor spaces on campus aren’t just pretty backdrops. They play a vital role in enhancing our college experience.

First, let’s talk about mental health. Studies show that spending time in nature reduces stress and improves mental well -being. Whenever I’m overwhelmed, I take a walk around campus. The fresh air and greenery help me clear my mind and recharge.

Next, let’s look at academic benefits. Green spaces have been proven to boost concentration and creativity. Outdoor study sessions amidst nature can enhance focus and inspire new ideas. It’s a great way to break the monotony of indoor classrooms.

Lastly, outdoor spots are social hubs. They’re where students connect, relax, and form lasting friendships. When the weather gets warmer, my friends and I like to set up a picnic blanket and sit outside to enjoy the warm weather.

So next time you pass by a green space on campus, take a moment to appreciate its impact on your life. Whether it’s for mental health, academic performance, or social connections, these outdoor spaces are more valuable than we might realize.

Thanks for listening to Liv’s College Diaries. Tune in next time for more insights into college life.

The Process

The Equipment

In order to record the audio portion of the project, I used the Voice Memos app on my phone to record. It made it easier to transfer the audio file between the different softwares. I also used it to record any extra sound effects or audios to include in the background of the podcast, such as the sounds of nature.

The Software and AI

I used SoundTrap in order to edit the video. I found it very easy to use in order to add the intro/outro music, the sound effects, as well as the transitions between the different topics. It was also very helpful when I needed to cut down some of the talking segments in order to make it fit the time limit. With AI, I used it in order to help me form an outline to the podcast.

Credit and Attributions

Sources

I did my podcast on the benefits of green/outdoor spaces on campus and how they can have a positive impact on students. To read more on how these can directly benefit students, visit OMNIA Partners article titled The Importance of Activating Outdoor Spaces on College Campuses and Learning By Design Magazine article titled Outdoor Spaces Help Promote Mental Health and Wellness on Campus.

Music and Media

For the music and any other extra sound effects that I needed, I found it off of Pixabay. Pixabay allows you to find free audios, videos, images, and even music to use for your own projects.

Creating My Podcast

To create my podcast, I recorded the audio using the Voice Memo app on my iPhone and uploaded the files to my MacBook. I used GarageBand to edit the recordings and to add music and sound effects. For music, I downloaded royalty-free music from Miskit. I used Google Gemini AI to create my image, and Microsoft Copilot for initial outline ideas.

Attributions

Intro and Outro music is by Lily J, downloaded from Mixit.

Image generated by Google Gemini.

Additional information from VitalSource and International Dyslexia Association.

Transcript

Hello, and welcome to the Surviving College with Neurodiversity podcast. I’m Leah, your host, and I’m excited to talk with you about how, as someone with dyslexia, I adjusted to the huge increase in reading assignments in college by using text-to-speech software. So the problem for students with dyslexia, for example, is that it just takes a very long time to read. It’s also much more difficult to comprehend the reading and retain the information. And with the sheer increase in reading assignments that college students face, it can be very overwhelming.

The first piece of advice I’ll give any student with a language-based learning disability is to always purchase the electronic version of the text. This is simply because most electronic versions will usually have some text-to-speech option, which we’ll just refer to as TTS. Now, I’ve purchased electronic texts through several different online vendors, and my preference is VitalSource. I like this platform because it offers several features that are user-friendly. You can choose a reading voice, and they don’t sound computerized. They’re very easy to listen to. Also, you can choose the speed which you’d like to have your text read. 

Sometimes, you might be assigned a literature book. If you’re able to, I really like to purchase these on my Kindle with the Audible extension. In the Kindle app, I can highlight and take notes while I listen along using Audible. But I also listen to the Audible at other times, like when I’m walking around campus or driving in a car. This enables me to make the most of the time I have available. 

That’s all we have time for today. Thanks for joining me, I hope I was able to show you some new tools that you can use in your college classes, that will help you be efficient and successful.

Transcript

This is Alexa and today I’m going to share why I think that sports are a crucial bonding activity for families. I’m sure most people have heard the phrase, ‘there’s more to life than sports,’ and I completely agree. There is more to life than sports, but they provide a way for us to appreciate the most important thing: our families. One of the most evident benefits of watching sports together is that it sets aside a specific time for families to gather together and relax. No matter the sport, as a family gathers together around the TV, they’re talking and laughing and spending important quality time together. From as early as I can remember, my family has sat together and watched football on Sundays. Even though I don’t necessarily enjoy the sport itself, I always look forward to this time together. Football Sundays are a big deal in my house, and they’re a tradition I plan to continue with my own family one day. Even as a kid, sports are an important part of your life. There are so many studies that show that sports are important not only for a child’s physical health, but also their mental well-being. This can also be the case with watching sports. Children can watch sports with their parents and learn the rules and the intricacies of the game. As I mentioned earlier, I was never a big sports fan; I didn’t and still don’t really enjoy playing sports, but while watching sports with my dad and my brothers, I learned a lot about competition and sportsmanship. Growing up, the boys’ love for sports extended outside of the TV as well. On countless Sundays there’d be family football games in the front yard, where my brothers attempted to teach me specific routes. Learning about sports has led me to have a healthy amount of competitiveness and has taught me a lot about the world. And lastly, the memories that a family makes while watching sports are immeasurable. From seeing your favorite team win the Super Bowl to attempting a new recipe for your family to try; these are the stories that are going to be passed down for generations to come. For my dad’s birthday a couple years ago, my brothers and I took him to a Redskins game, which was my first football game ever, and one of my favorite memories. So long story short, grab your family, pick a sport, and enjoy the game, because while you’re rooting for your favorite team, you’re learning that there’s more to life than sports.

Production

Equipment

To record this podcast, I used my phone and my wired Apple headphones. I also then used my laptop to edit the recordings.

Software

I used the Voice Memo application on my phone for the recordings themselves. I then uploaded them to my laptop and edited the recordings using SoundTrap. For the intro/ outro music, as well as one of the sound effects, I used Envato.

AI Help

I used Microsoft Copilot to help me create the general outline for the assignment, to which I then created the script and added my own personal anecdotes. Also, I used Microsoft Copilot to create the image for this post.

Credit & Attributions

Podcast created and edited by Alexa Kincaid.

Intro is by INPLUSMUSIC. Downloaded via Envato.

Family Group Joke Laughter is by FxProSound. Downloaded via Envato.

Commentary is by Joe Davis from Dodgers versus Mets game, October 16, 2024.

Crowd Noise is from Dodgers versus Mets game, October 16, 2024.

Image generated by Microsoft Copilot.

This topic was chosen based on personal experience, but additional information was provided by Meaningfulness of Watching Sports as a Family and Benefits of Watching Sports with Family.

Our Shrinking Attention Span

Transcript:

Hello everyone and welcome to Christian speaks to you. On this podcast, we’re going be going over, decreasing attention spans and sharing some helpful tips that you can help Implement in your own life to hopefully improve your concentration. So a little of background on the topic, technology, particularly social media, texting, smartphones and other forms of short form content can give a greater number of distractions. Not allowing to focus on a singular thing at one time. And this is a very big issue because it takes longer for to do things like, completing assignments, and other tasks, and you have an increase of stress level, when focused on multiple different things and you have the tendency to make more errors, if you’re working on multiple things and not focused. So, your first tip to help increase your attention span. This comes from George Washington University, is reading. Reading a book, can help increase your attention span. It helps to train the mind to concentrate on the task. That being reading the words that on page, a tip is when starting out is to mute phone or your computer, depending on how you read or maybe even your tablet, this avoids distractions, like notification dings and other things like that, and try to focus reading for 20 to 30 minutes straight without losing concentration. Another helpful tip you can Implement is to do what’s called the spider technique. This is essentially just training yourself to ignore different notifications every time they ding just train yourself to not look and eventually it’ll become second nature to ignore those kind of things while you’re focusing on something. Another thing you could do is constantly repeat the phrase be here now, to remind yourself to focus on what you’re doing in moment and not worrying about something else. So the final tip of this podcast is going be to tell you to out and some exercise. It’s good for your physical health. It’s good for your mental health, but can also help to improve your brain function, by ensuring that the blood circulates properly. I recommend walking outside, you get some of the fresh air, you get some of the sights and you get some of the sounds, it’s very relaxing. It’s helpful. And it’s much more enjoyable than walking inside. Thanks for listening. I hope these tips were helpful.

Behind the Scenes

Creating this podcast was a fun experience, and getting to play around with different recording and editing tools was very fun as well. To create this podcast I recorded the main monologue with a Sennheiser headset’s built in microphone. To record the book page turning sound effects and the walking over leaves sound, I utilized my iPhone and the voice memos app to record close to the subject. My MacBook was utilized to edit the audio using Sountrap and to export it. The only part of this podcast that was assisted by A.I. was that of the image posted above, as I am better at speaking than drawing.

Attributions

This podcast topic was based on personal interest into attention span and the effects technology has on it. But the research on attention spans and tips for overcoming a shortened attention span are courtesy of: CBS News, George Washington University, and Kansas State University. Music is “Moonlight Drive” by Yunior Arrante downloaded via bensound.com.

Process of creating the podcast

I created a short audio project about the best cat treats. I used my phone to record the clips, then I used Soundtrap to edit all the clips. I used sound clips of my cats eating treats, purring, and meowing. I also used one cat meow audio clip from pixabay by the artist philsapphire. I used a free stock music clip from Mixkit. I used AI in the beginning when I created the outline and changed it to fit my liking.

Attributes

Cat meow | Royalty-free Music – Pixabay

Download Free Mellow Stock Music MP3 | Mixkit

10 Best Cat Treats (Healthy & Tasty) | 2024 Reviews – Catster

7 Best Cat Treats – 2024 Reviews & Buyers Guide | Hepper

Choosing the Best Cat Treats | Preventive Vet

Transcript

*Cats purring than meowing*

Welcome to purrfect treats, where we explore the best treats to make your cats day extra special.

*Cat’s meowing*

Now for the purpose of treats, they’re more than just tasty snacks. They can be used for training, dental health and even just to show your love. But there is so many options how do you choose the best one?

*Cats crunching on treats*

Now it is time to dive into some of the top rated cat treats available today in October 2024.

Treat number one is : PureBites Chicken Breast Freeze-Dried Cat Treats. This is the best overall because it is only made with chicken; no extra ingredients and was rated highly on Hepper.com.

For treat number two, we go to Cat-Man-Doo Extra Large Dried Bonito Flakes. These are bone dried fish flakes, they are low in calories, no additives or extra ingredients and they are number 1 on catster.com

Why are these treats number 1? We believe they’re number  because the ingredients are simple and are easier for the cat’s digestive system.

*Cat’s meowing*

Here are some types from your veterinarians on choosing the best treats for your cats. Tip number one, look for treats with natural ingredients and avoid artificial additives. Tip number two, cats are carnivores, therefor they want treats cooked with meat and only meat. Now tip number three, moderation is key. Cats don’t have a large belly so treats should only make up a small part of their diet.

*Cat meowing*

Now choosing the right treat can make a big difference in your cats happiness and health.

Thank you for listening to purrfect treats.

*cat crunching on treats* fade out classical music.