On the topic of news again...

I don't want to generalize, but I'm going to. I feel like most college students are slightly apathetic when it comes to paying attention to, or following, the news. I mean, really, we could get into this whole in-depth conversation about what "news" actually is, but I'm going to pass on that for that moment.

Think about it. How much do you, personally, know about what's going on in the nation/world on a daily basis? If someone in class asked you if you had watched the news the night before, how often could you reply with a "yes"? I understand you could very easily say "Well, Ashley, you're a journalism major. You enjoy reading the news. It's what you do." Yeah, I get that. But, seriously, the news affects everyone everyday at every moment. It affects you on a constant basis, and you may not even realize it.

For example, approximately three weeks ago, the "government" of Guinea (for those of you who don't know where that is, it's on the west coast of Africa) attacked innocent civilians, killing more than an estimated 50 people. This may seem like it doesn't affect you. But, alas! It does!

The U.S. government has since considered helping Guinea. (If you don't believe me, check here and here.) Guess what? Now it affects you. Your country and government are considering offering aid to the people of Guinea. It affects tons of things. Money. Soldiers. Relief workers. To name a few.

I understand this is a broad and single example of the news in another country, on the other side of the world, affecting you, but follow me to my point. I'm not saying every little thing that happens is going to affect you personally. I'm saying you should be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of what's going on. Don't be apathetic. Don't be just another college student. Be a smart one. Put your education to use. No matter how you get your news, be sure to get it. As much as possible.