
The Inforium
Thomas Frank and Martin Boehme discuss productivity, personal finance, their weird llama obsession, and other interesting things. New episodes every other week.
Latest episodes

Apr 11, 2016 • 60min
Eating Cheaply, Healthily, and Quickly (Ep. 103)
It's easy to let your nutrition go on autopilot when you're in college, but look man - food is important. In this episode, we'll dig into how to eat a healthier diet. We'll also discuss strategies for making meals quickly and saving money on groceries.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
A College Guide to Eating Healthy - my guest post at Nerd Fitness
Actual Poor Student Cookbook
Staci Ardison's Choose-Your-Own-Adventure meals
Rice cooker - lots of options out there; this one seemed like the best combo of cheap price + good reviews
CGP Grey - Star Trek transporter
Existential Comics - transporter problem
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
r/slowcooking
r/eatcheapandhealthy
Kicking a soda-drinking habit
Good Eats - best cooking show ever
If-then habits
WTH effect
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apr 4, 2016 • 60min
How to Become a Published Author (Ep. 102)
T. Michael Martin (author of Mr. Fahrenheit and The End Games) guides me through the process of becoming an author - dealing with publishers, editors, etc.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
Mr. Fahrenheit (comes out April 19th)
The End Games (Mike's first novel)
Mike's website
Mike's YouTube channel
Follow Mike on Twitter
How to Adult
Patrick Rothfuss
John Green
Joshua Ferris
Then We Came to the End
S.A. Bodeen
Sara Zarr
AgentQuery
Stronger Faster Better
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 28, 2016 • 1h 9min
How the Heck Do I Study Abroad? (Ep. 101)
My friend Ransom is currently studying abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and today he's going to give you all the details you need about embarking on your own study abroard adventure. Also, I'm insanely jealous that he's part of a caving club.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
Ransom's site
Ransom's study abroad blog
How I traveled to Japan cheaply
The United Kingdom Explained - CGP Grey
Geoguessr
My live stream with Simon, Sally, and Dan
If It Were My Home
House on the Rock pictures
Ruby Falls
Skyscanner
Kayak
Airbnb
HostelWorld
Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship
How to find study abroad scholarships
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 18, 2016 • 1h 5min
Deep Work: How to Focus and Resist Distractions (Ep. 100)
Episode 100! Today, I'm talking with Cal Newport once again, this time about how to build your ability to do "deep work" - work that's focused, cognitively challenging, and free of distractions.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
Deep Work
Why You Should Embrace Boredom and Learn to Do Hard Things - Ransom's post on Deep Work
Randall Munroe's (xkcd author) method of avoiding internet distractions
Freedom (site and app-blocking app for Mac)
SelfControl (free alternative, but doesn't block applications)
FocalFilter (similar, but for Windows)
Gary Vaynerchuk
ScheduleOnce
Calendly
Why "Follow Your Passion" is Bad Advice (Ep. 35)
So Good They Can't Ignore You
In Defense of Boredom - a great related article at Brain Pickings
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mar 16, 2016 • 1h 15min
Learned Helplessness (Ep. 99)
The podcast explores the concept of learned helplessness and its effects on individuals. They discuss experiments on dogs and chimpanzees to demonstrate how repeated experiences of futility can lead to a belief that circumstances cannot be changed. The hosts also discuss unconventional extra credit assignments and the impact of learned helplessness on learning. They emphasize the importance of documenting problems, shifting from perseverance to self-esteem, and the impact of optimism on dealing with adversity.

Feb 29, 2016 • 1h 10min
5 Questions: Making Studying Fun, Unlearning Bad Habits, & Honors Programs (Ep. 98)
On this 5 questions episode, we go over how to make study fun (including some detail on "interest links"), unlearning bad techniques and habits, the value of honors programs, break/rest structures, and more.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
Why I killed my standing desk
9 life-changing books
That fan-fiction article
The Last Ring-Bearer
Temporal motivation theory
Subjunctive
The Discoverers
Superstar effect
BJ Fogg's Tiny Habits
Yoga with Tim
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 21, 2016 • 57min
How to Build a Freelance Career as a Student (Ep. 97)
Ever wondered how freelance writers get accepted to write for huge sites - and get paid for it? Today I'm talking with Aja Frost, who has done exactly that - as a student (and paid off all her loans in the process).
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
Discuss this episode in the community
Connect with Aja on Twitter
Aja's website
All of Aja's freelance writing
The Prospect
4 Super-Common Interview Questions
The controversial frat article
QUIC
G-Eazy
Boosted board
Inboard M1
Casey Neistat
My 14,000-word post
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 14, 2016 • 1h 11min
9 Life-Changing Books (Ep. 96)
Martin and I talk about some of the books that have shaped our beliefs and the directions of our lives.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
If This Isn't Nice, What Is? by Kurt Vonnegut
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey (here's a summary)
Zen Habits by Leo Babauta
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky
Essentialism by Greg Mckeown
The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg (watch my 5 Lessons video on this book)
The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff
The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
5 Questions: Setbacks, Tiredness, Dream Job Selection
Be Mindful of Your Path
Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin (and my interview with her about it)
LessWrong Sequences (if you want a book version of this: Rationality: From AI to Zombies)
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
Influence by Robert Cialdini
Loss aversion
Hell Yeah! or No
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 9, 2016 • 1h 23min
Quitting Your Job to Work for Yourself (Ep. 95)
So you want to quit your job: maybe you've got a business idea, maybe you want to freelance, or maybe you just hate it and don't really have a plan. How do you go about it? How much do you need in savings? Today's episode is all about that.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
DIY Video Guy
Caleb Wojcik Films
Caleb's YouTube channel
Connect with Caleb on Twitter
My interview on the DIY Video Guy podcast - earning 150,000 YouTube subscribers in a year
The Fizzle Show
Smart Passive Income
Startup Podcast (listen from the beginning - I loved Season 1. Season 2 is unrelated and of lower quality IMO)
The Personal MBA - one of my essential books for students
The Dip
What Do You Want To Do When You Grow Up?
Virtual Freedom
Chris Guillebeau
Gear Doesn't Matter
Casey Neistat - Maxing out credit card
Stop Trying to Find Your Passion
Jetpack Joyride
Helicopter game (procrastination warning)
Health Insurance fee
Dustin Hoffman - Acting Masterclass
Social Network soundtrack
Can Music Help You Study More Effectively?
Team Crispy
MKBHD
Unbox Therapy
Amy Schmittauer
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feb 1, 2016 • 51min
What It Takes to Get Into Medical School (Ep. 94)
Hoping to go to med school and become a doctor? This episode is ALL about that process. Today I'm talking with my friend Ryan Gray, who is a doctor and the founder of Medical School HQ.
Full show notes
Things mentioned in this episode:
Medical School HQ
The Premed Playbook - Ryan's book on acing medical school interviews
The Premed Years podcast
Connect with Ryan on Twitter
Study Advice from a Medical Student (ep. 26)
Post-baccalaureate programs
HPSP scholarship
MCAT details
MMI interview
Medical school board exams
Want more cool stuff? You can find all sorts of great tools at my Resources page.
You can also get a free copy of my book, 10 Steps to Earning Awesome Grades (While Studying Less), by staying up to date with the College Info Geek newsletter.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to the podcast on iTunes! It's easy, you'll get new episodes automatically, and it also helps the show gain exposure :) You can also leave a review!
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.