At a small school like Bucknell, it’s easy to get so caught up in your own world, that you don’t realize what’s going on outside. The “Bucknell bubble” is a very real thing. When balancing assignments, tests, and social activities galore, it’s hard enough finding time to sleep, let alone finding time to dedicate to the news. And even if you are watching the news, many students don’t fully internalize what that news means. It’s hard doing this, unless you are experiencing it for yourself. However, not only is it extremely important for college students to be educated on what’s going on around the world, it is also a great way to put things into perspective. Here are just a few major news headlines currently circulating the media:
“Hurricane Harvey slammed into Texas as a Category 4 storm. Hurricane Irma at one point achieved Category 5 status as it has been churning towards Florida. Right behind is Jose, a Category 4. (And did we mention Hurricane Katia?)” – LA Times
Specifically, on Hurricane Irma, thesun.co.uk writes, “The monster weather system is the size of France and battered the Caribbean islands over several days, wreaking devastation with winds of 185mph and leaving at least 25 people dead.”
“The storm has caused severe flooding and left more than 6 million homes without power in Florida.” – BBC News
“Irma left about 60 percent of Barbuda’s nearly 2,000 residents homeless and destroyed or damaged 95 percent of its property.” – The Washington Post
And besides natural disasters, serious issues are brewing in the political arena as well:
“Several states are suing the Trump administration in a bid to stop it from terminating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The program, which was formed through executive order by former President Barack Obama in 2012, shields people who come to the U.S. illegally as minors from deportation.” – Fox News
Friend drama, and cramming for that one exam isn’t nearly as important as some of the major world issues happening at this very moment. Thousands and thousands of people’s lives are being negatively impacted. While the hurricanes have caused deaths and mass destruction of entire communities, the removal of DACA takes away the protection of approximately 800,000 undocumented youth, and costs many their jobs. When you start seeing the bigger picture, you allow yourself to focus on issues other than your own. This in turn makes you a more well-rounded and knowledgeable person, but also forces you to realize your place in this big, scary world we live in. As depressing as this sounds, being more globally-aware minimizes the amount of time we spend dwelling on personal insignificant problems in the grander scheme of things. So, download a news app, and burst out of your Bucknell bubble!