There is a distinct sinking feeling in your stomach when your friends are hashing out the details of the IRS scandal and it sounds like a foreign language. Your internal panic might sound something like this: ‘how quickly can I Google this,’ ‘have they noticed I have nothing to say?’ or ‘please don’t ask me what I think.’ Even worse, what if this happens to you in an interview?
Maybe you are lucky and this has never happened to you. But, I will guess it has happened at least once.
The typical schedule of a Barnard student doesn’t normally allow enough time to read the New York Times cover to cover, if at all. You might catch something on Twitter or Facebook, but it rarely prepares you to have a conversation about the news. The Internet is usually meant for cute puppies and Sporcle quizzes, but it’s still wildly important to remain well-informed. That’s where theSkimm comes in.
If you have yet to be graced by the glory of theSkimm, you will quickly be converted. TheSkimm is a daily e-mail newsletter that arrives to your inbox ever morning at 6:00 AM. It’s a quick 5-minute read designed to be accessible while braving the morning struggle, brushing your teeth or squeezing on to the train. It’s an easy way to stay up-to-date and know what’s happening in the world, covering topics that range from international news to important pop culture happenings. And if you have missed out on an entire conflict (let’s say you don’t know why Ukraine and Russia aren’t getting along), there are a few lines of background to fill you in and provide much needed context and nuance.
We are all smart and engaged Barnard women who are good at finding solutions or that last pizza in the Diana. It’s okay to admit that you don’t always know exactly what is happening in the world, as long as you fix that with a simple click and sign up for theSkimm.