Politics surrounds us, whether you think it’s boring or not. It determines how we live our day-to-day lives. Although the past few years have been filled with a lot of political uproar in the United States alone, it's very important that you (as a citizen) are informed.

Being informing doesn’t mean following the top 10 trending topics on Twitter. In my opinion, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and other related apps only focus on things more pop culture-related. For example, social media scandals such as Logan Paul’s infamous Japan vlog, or H&M’s “accidental” racist ad campaign.

While all of those things may be important to discuss, it’s not really the nitty gritty politics that citizens should be worried about. Things like the deadly mudslides in California, Trump’s nuclear deal with Iran and the new tax bill are what should be the talk of the town.

I’m not saying it isn’t important to be aware of the things social media puts out there. Of course, things like the sexual assaults happening in Hollywood need to dealt with and discussed, but that should not be America’s only focus. As a citizen, you should not just rely on social media for your news.

I am not a U.S. citizen (yet), however, it always surprises me when I mention something political that is happening in a conversation and no one knows what I’m talking about. There have been multiple times where I've asked for someone’s opinion on something that is going on in their own area, and they are so out of the loop I have to explain it to them. I don't mind explaining, (I’m a political science major, I could talk politics all day), but I do wish that people were more aware.

I know it may be a hassle for us today, but I recommend tuning into you local news station on the TV in the morning while you’re having your breakfast, or listening to the AM news channel on your way to work or school and just listen or watch. I guarantee that it will not only help you become a more informed citizen, but also make you sound more knowledgeable and well rounded in your next in-class discussion.