Amidst our jam-packed days filled with class, homework, office hours, extra-curriculars, and, if we’re lucky, sleep, we lose our connection to the “outside world.” Ironically, as the world becomes smaller and smaller due to the internet’s lightning-fast transmission of information, we seem to be losing a sense of the world around us. Yes, acing that bio exam is important (as is catching up on Netflix), but neither should detract from our sense of what’s occuring globally. It’s so easy to become trapped in the bubble of this campus and lose sense of what’s happening outside the gates of Holy Cross.
Maybe you are a globally aware citizen—and if you are, props to you! But, if you fall under the “not so globally aware but really wish you were category” like so many of us do, take a few minutes each day to catch up on current events so you can have a sense of what’s going on in the world. The great thing about current events is that things are always changing which keeps things interesting and leaves you wanting to know more. Even better, it doesn’t have to be time consuming or difficult. Here are a few suggestions on easy ways to ensure you’ll remain connected to the “outside world”:
- Subscribe to a MagazineIf you prefer reading print instead of digital text, subscribe to a magazine like The Week, a magazine that highlights the week’s main events both in the U.S. and internationally. The Week covers a multitude of topics, including politics, entertainment, business, and technology; it’s hard to get bored while reading it. The Week also provides various perspectives for each main issue it covers, so you can form your own opinion without being swayed by any bias.
- Sign up for “The Skimm”Don’t want to spend the money on a magazine subscription or want the convenience of the click of a button? Simply subscribe to “The Skimm,” a free daily newsletter that sends you emails recapping what happened the day before (sign up at http://www.theskimm.com). It breaks down important global events and presents them in a reader-friendly way, and it always provides context so you’re never confused as to what is being discussed.
- Utilize the WebMake your laptop homepage Yahoo or GoogleNews, so you’re always seeing the latest headlines. There’s even a Wikipedia current events portal that displays worldwide current events as they occur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Current_events).
- Follow News Twitter AccountsMy favorite way to stay connected to the world is through Twitter. Just follow accounts like CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and NPR, so as you’re scrolling through your feed, you can kill two birds with one stone – keeping up with your friends and current events.
To be quite honest, there’s no reason why any college student should be unaware of what’s happening across the globe. The internet makes it so easy for us to have instant access to everything. I leave it to you, collegiettes, to brush up on your current events, form your own opinions, and maybe even have something to talk about when you go home for Christmas, too.