5 Easy Ways to Keep Up with Current Events By Basil Mbuna

5 Easy Ways to Keep Up with Current Events

I like to stay busy. I find more joy being up and moving than I do just sitting around. With a jam-packed schedule, it’s understandably difficult to find time to stay up to date on current events.  

Trying to sort through the virtually endless amount of information in search of good news often leaves me feeling a little bit like:

But staying up to date on the news doesn't have to be frustrating or time consuming. I would know!

Here’s a helpful guide to being in the know, even on the busiest of schedules. 

1. Choose your favorite news roundup

A news roundup will summarize major headlines, offering you a quick and dirty introduction to recent events. Glance it over while your morning coffee’s brewing or while you’re waiting for the train. 

Roundups won’t offer in-depth analysis, but you can make note of the things you want to read more about later when you have a bit more time. 

2. Find your preferred unbiased news source

Once you know the major headlines, you may decide to follow up on a few and learn more. Save time by heading straight to a news source you already trust rather than sorting through questionable Internet search results. My favorite sources for trustworthy, unbiased (or at least as unbiased as possible) news are NPR and the BBC.

3. Find a more opinionated source for context

If I find myself particularly interested in a world event, I’ll search for opinion pieces once I feel I know the hard facts. Opinion writing, while obviously biased, can help take the facts you know and put them into perspective. Of course, it’s important we don’t use opinion pieces or biased news outlets as our only source of news. Personally, I’m a fan of The New York Times Opinion Pages and comedy news shows like The Daily Show and Last Week Tonight. 

4. Download an app                                                                                            

If you don’t have the time to sit down and sort through the news, consider downloading an app that can do most of the sorting for you. 

Circa is a news app that pulls stories from hundreds of sources and condenses it in a way that is simple, quick, and unbiased. You can select stories and topics that interest you and the app will remember them, sending push alerts to your phone when similar news breaks. 

5. Follow your favorite news outlets on social media

This one might seem painfully obvious, but I have to include it because it’s an incredibly effective way to stay up to date on the news. Pick your favorite news outlets and be sure to like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. Most news sources will post breaking news to social media as it happens; this will keep you informed as you scroll through your newsfeed with little to no extra time spent on your part. 

Now go out into the world like the powerful, knowledgeable, up-to-date woman you are. 

We want to hear from you! Do you try to keep up with current events? How do you get your news?