Back in middle school and early high school, I was a current event nut. I would spend at least two hours a day combing through various online newspapers to learn about the latest developments in politics, foreign affairs, and the economy. But when high school and college hit, I lost all interest in current events. It was simply too time-consuming to spend the time needed to find the best reporting and then read all the numerous articles.
However, staying current with the news is important for many reasons. It makes you an informed citizen. It opens your mind to what is going on around you. It makes for an interesting conversation topic with friends and strangers alike. And, it's fun. If you are a busy student or young professional eager to start learning more about current events but worried about the time commitment, here are a few tips.
1. Activate the news app on your phone.
Activating the news app on your phone will send you alerts and updates on important news. Additionally, most news apps, such as CNN, also have alert features. This will ensure the most important stories pop up on your home screen so you can be as current with the news as you are with all your text messages.
2. Download news apps on your phone.
The next time you are stuck in line, commuting on the bus, or have a few minutes to kill for whatever reason, open up your Washington Post or CNN app. Having a portable newspaper on your phone will make it easier to find the brief moments throughout your day to browse headlines or skim an article or two.
3. Sign up for The Skimm or a related newsletter.
The Skimm is a free daily newsletter sent to your email every morning that picks the most important and interesting top stories and condenses them into short blurbs that quickly give you the "who, what, where, when, why, and how." It only takes a couple minutes to read and gives an excellent overview of what you need to feel informed each day. Many news organizations also have their own newsletter and other services including digestible news like Circa and Flipboard.
4. Find a news podcast.
If your college campus or city is anything like mine, you will spend a good amount of time walking or driving each day. Utilize that time to listen to the news through a podcast. News organizations like NPR and the BCC have great podcasts, and there are also many other podcasts that focus on specific interests in the news, such as international affairs, politics, or culture.
5. Like more news platforms on social media.
If you aren't willing to cut down on your Facebook or Instagram time in order to make room for the news, start following more news organizations like CNN, The Wall Street Journal, or whatever organization you enjoy. Then, in addition to keeping up with your friends you can keep up with the most interesting headlines of the day.
Following current events is difficult and can be time consuming, but if you maximize the little free moments in your day and find easy ways to follow the top headlines, becoming a well-informed news follower is completely manageable.
