I recently got the opportunity to host one of the podcasts where I had to interview Ms Divya Prasad, the student counsellor at GIIS SMART Campus, on exam stress. Although I had listened to podcasts before, the idea of hosting a podcast made me nervous.

Podcasts are an initiative by my school to give students a platform to explore their skills in public speaking and Radio-jockeying, all the while increasing our knowledge in various educative topics. Through the Radio Studio, a unique skill-based studio in our campus, each of us get a chance to experiment and master varied vocal skills beyond our regular curriculum.

Our podcasts are hosted on soundcloud.com/giissmartcast, and I think it is a great platform for us to express ourselves. Many of us who have got a chance to host a particular podcast have immensely enjoyed the initiative. More so, because these podcasts are hosted by students and recorded at our own Radio Studio, they provide a learning experience like never before. 

So despite my nervousness, I grabbed the chance to host a podcast, and decided to give it my best shot. Moreover, I was assured that under the able guidance of our Radio Jockey, Ms Aishwarya Jayasimha, I would be able to accomplish the task successfully.

The topic chosen for the podcast was “how to deal with exam stress” which was very relevant at that time as the exams were soon approaching.

On one hand I was nervous and on the other hand thrilled and excited with the idea of using the state-of-the-art equipment at the Radio Studio for recording a real podcast that will be heard by hundreds of listeners. Upon entering the Radio Studio, I was inspired to witness the scale and level of paraphernalia deployed at the Radio Studio.

At first, I was jittery to use such fancy equipment and record like a professional artist. However, as I started to speak, I gained a sudden surge of confidence and began to enjoy interviewing. Slowly, Ms Divya and me got into a great conversation and started chatting in an informal manner. Ms Divya shared great tips about managing exam stress. Although the conversation was on a serious topic, the atmosphere was relaxed and fun.

Ms Aishwarya motivated me to bring out my hidden talent by teaching me how to modulate my voice. Various other things that I learnt during my first podcast recording were the skill of toning the voice, right listening skills, making the conversation interactive by appropriately reacting to the guest’s responses and so on.

Total five questions were asked from Ms Divya and she provided practical responses for each question. We were extremely carefully in choosing the language and tone of the conversation during the podcast so that it comes across as professional. I connected instantly with Ms Divya who turned out to be a great and knowledgeable speaker. After a while, our podcast seemed like a friendly chat than a formal Q and A session. I must say that this experience brought out the best in both of us.

The final episode of the edited podcast came out to be very engaging. It was enjoyed by my parents, family and friends alike. Apparently, the podcast was played by more than 500 people within two months and seemed to be a popular one.

It was a memorable experience and I am thankful to my school for offering such a unique opportunity. Being able to record a podcast in a professional set-up and under an expert guidance is a rare experience that a school student can enjoy.

Click here to listen to the podcast.