Let's face it: not everyone likes politics. Headlines about the Oscars and Star Wars: The Force Awakens might sound more appealing, and that's okay. Most of us still want to be informed though, but when you're not a political junkie, how do you do that? The following are seven easy ways to keep up-to-date without driving yourself nuts!
1) Take Advantage of the App Store
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Smart phones are nearly ubiquitous, making them one of the best ways to keep up with politics. When you have a free moment between classes, waiting for friends, or whenever you've got the chance, skim the news. You'll quickly learn what news sources you prefer, and what apps are formatted in a way you like. Download a few to start with, as checking in with multiple sources will get you the most accurate story. Just reading articles here and there when you have a minute or two of downtime will bring you up to speed faster than you could imagine!
2) Watch TV
If you've got time to watch the news, that's great! Although many of us don't, or just aren't interested in sitting down to watch the news, there is an alternative: watch comedies! Politically themed comedy shows like The Daily Show, The Nightly Show, and Last Week Tonight may seem like a suspicious source, and while you shouldn't rely solely on them for news, they're a good supplement to what you're already doing to stay up-to-date. These shows may bring attention to issues you hadn't heard about yet, and if they spark your interest, go check them out! Remember: these shows are comedies. They shouldn't ever be your primary source of news, but they are a fun way to add to what you're already learning.
3) Look For Conflict
I'm not saying you should try to get into a political argument with everyone person you pass, because that's probably not a good idea. But do look for mental conflict; aka, challenge your views! If all of those apps you downloaded are biased in the same way (liberally or conservatively) you're only getting one side of the story. If you decide you're going to start reading the National Review, make sure you also check out the New York Times. If you download CNN's app, download the Fox News one too. Although we often categorize things as strictly Democrat vs. Republican, you don't have to see the world that way. There are different degrees of liberalism or conservatism, and there are definitely more parties, so see if you can find some independent sources or those of different political parties too.
4) Use Twitter
Although Twitter draws criticism, it's actually rather useful to any regular users who want to stay informed. In addition to all of the other great Twitter accounts you follow, you can follow verified organizations, politicians, and news accounts who will blast current, vetted information right onto your timeline. It won't be too overwhelming since the serious stuff will be broken up by funny tweets from your friends and favorite celebrities. You can choose to follow issue-specific accounts if you don't know what politicians you support or dislike just yet (ex. if you're interested in nature, follow the WWF to keep up with current environment issues, or Human Rights Watch if human rights are your top interest area).
5) Ask Questions
Even if you decide you're going to be President and you completely immerse yourself in politics, you still won't know everything. No one is expecting you to have the answer to everything, so if you don't know something, admit it. There's no shame in not understanding something, but there is shame in pretending you know what you're talking about it when you really don't. If a term or idea confuses you, ask the source (if it's a person) for clarification, or look it up online. Don't just shrug it off! This stuff is important, even if it seems little.
6) Don't Push Yourself
You know that saying one step forward and two steps back? That's where you're going to end up if you burn yourself out. Don't force yourself to read articles on things you don't care about. If you couldn't care less about Donald Trump's campaign, that's fine! While it would be great if you branched out and read at least a bit about it, you don't want to start dreading keeping up-to-date. You want to stay informed generally, but there's going to be no point if you make yourself read so many articles that don't interest you that you end up stopping altogether. If you're interested mostly in the US presidential race, or the migrant influx in Europe, or ISIS, then it's alright if you focus more attention on that one topic. Read what interests you, and don't force yourself to spend all your time reading things you hate.
7) Get Involved
If you know what political party you align with, or at least whether you lean left, right, or are more centrist, then get involved! You don't have to go knocking door to door for a candidate to do that. You can attend a College [Insert Your Preferred Party] Meeting, check out online forums for that political leaning, or debate! The more invested you become, the more motivated you're going to be to keep up with politics. If you don't know where you stand yet, that's also okay! There are plenty of extensive political questionnaires online to help you figure it out, and by staying up to date, you'll eventually figure out where you stand. Getting involved can also mean taking a class in political science, attending a rally, or campaigning. It can be very lowkey and hands-off, or something you become passionate about. Either way, you're bound to learn a lot. This also means you've got to vote. You're going to become invested in issues if you aren't already, and it's your job to decide who gets to take actions on those issues.
