Last semester, one of my professors asked the class if anyone had read anything interesting in the news lately. The course material related to world events and politics, and as we all sat there silently, the professor looked on with disappointment. Finally, one student spoke up and said that they simply did not have time to read the news or pay attention to what was going on in the world while at school. So many of us are balancing four or five classes and a myriad of extracurriculars, while trying to maintain friendships and our mental and physical health. Many of my friends have described a similar anomaly: I am at college to study political science (literally, what is happening in the world and in the news), but I pay attention to politics the least when I am here. I love what I study, but it leaves me little time to pay attention to the world around me. When major world events occur, I often feel a sense of guilt or concern by how out of touch I am.
This is a constant struggle of mine, and evidently many other students, so I have compiled a list of strategies for staying engaged with what’s going on in the world beyond our Lewisburg bubble.
- Find a current events podcast to listen to consistently and make it part of your routine. This could mean listening to an episode while you exercise, do laundry, walk to class, or get ready in the morning. You can listen to a more general show, such as The Daily; something more political like Pod Save America or The Weeds; or something more female-centered like Hysteria or On the Issues with Michele Goodwin. Podcasts are designed for multitasking and are a great way to catch up on the news while going about your day.
- Subscribe to a daily newsletter that you can quickly scroll through. CNN’s 5 Things and the New York Times’ The Morning arrive each day in my inbox with quick headlines and links for further reading. If you are looking for more female-centered news, I enjoy the Today at Ms. newsletter by Ms. Magazine. For my fellow history-nerds, Heather Cox Richardson’s Letters from an American arrives daily with an analysis of how recent events fit into American history.
- Utilize the school’s subscriptions to news sources. On the Bucknell Library website, you can access various news sources, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Economist and more. Additionally, there are often paper copies of some major newspapers inside the entryway of Academic West and other academic buildings.
- Attend policy-related campus events, such as those hosted by the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy, the Humanities Center, or other groups around campus. These events, which occur both in person and virtually, allow students to learn about current events and other pressing political topics from professors, fellow students, and experts in an accessible way. Additionally, most of these events serve free lunch so you can learn something new while getting a break from the Caf.
Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up if you don’t feel like you have time to pay attention to every news story and world event. Most of us do not have time to watch CNN on TV every night, but you can still find little ways to stay informed and engaged while working within your busy schedule.