Students blog

For a college student, it is not an unfamiliar feeling to feel “out of touch” or behind on the news. Whether it’s a brief conversation in one of your classes, or even a pop culture joke between your friends, not having knowledge on current events can have you feeling left out of many circles.

For me, it is not very realistic to order newspapers to my third story dorm room or turn on a news channel on the television I do not have. Therefore, I spent a generous amount of time looking for other ways to stay informed on what is going on in the rest of the world in a way that’s convenient for my schedule and entertaining enough to stay consistent. While these resources might not be the best for everyone, I hope I can provide some ideas or motivations on how to stay up to date with the news.

Podcasts

Whether you are wanting to learn about the stock market, foreign affairs or even celebrity news, there is most likely a podcast about it. Major news organizations such as the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NPR, and NBC all have at least one, and usually more, daily podcasts. They release frequent episodes ranging from 5-45 minutes with all kinds of news and current events. Podcasts are wonderful because they are easy to listen to either on your way to class, during a workout, or even just as background noise!

A few of my favorite podcasts include:

• The Daily by The New York Times
• CNN 5 Things by CNN
• WSJ What’s News by The Wall Street Journal
• Pop Culture Happy Hour by NPR

Newsletters

Another one of my favorite ways to get a quick and consistent briefing on global updates is through newsletter subscriptions, which get sent right to my Gmail inbox. Just like podcasts, there are a plethora of newsletters on every topic ranging from quick bullet points to longer opinion articles. I find that these newsletters are great for reading in the morning, during a study break or right before bed.

Here are a few of my favorite newsletters:

• Morning Brew by Morning Brew
• 5 Things You Need to Know to Start Your Day by Bloomberg
• Worldview by The Washington Post
• On Politics by The New York Times

While my preference is newsletters and podcasts as a way to stay updated, you can also subscribe to news applications on your phone or even turning on the cable television. Regardless, it is important to stay on top of what is going on in the rest of the world, especially as a college student.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started! 

This past summer I worked as an intern in New York City, and it was a whirlwind of fun and chaos all at once. Moving to a big and hustling city like this was extremely exciting but was also very unsettling to be in a new place without any familiarity. I was fortunate enough to have a lot of friends from home and from college also living in NYC for the summer, so I was able to explore, try different restaurants, and walk around new areas as much as have time outside of work. For anyone that is moving to a new city for the summer or even for full-time, here are three tips to help you adjust to an exciting and fast lifestyle.

Get to know your coworkers.

While this might go unsaid, it is really important to make an effort at work both tangibly and socially. You may not think that your fellow interns or even supervisors would ever be the same people you see on the weekends – but you would be surprised. It is always nice to have a familiar face in the office, and around a big city. One of the most routine events on a Thursday afternoon is office happy hour, and you want to be a part of it! Becoming close with your coworkers can make all the difference when it comes to enjoying your time in and out of the office, especially if you do not know many people.

Sign up for classes.

I am sure everyone has some kind of hobby or activity they have wanted to pick up and the amazing thing about cities, is that they have pretty much any kind of class you can think of. Since being here this summer, I have gone to cycling, boxing, Pilates, and barre classes around NYC. While exercise is undoubtedly great for your health and lifestyle, attending classes is a great way to make new friends or even bond with a friend you are looking to spend more time with. If you happen to hate workout classes, look for group-style classes in cooking, pottery, yoga, minigolf and even jewelry-making. Even if you only try one a month, you never know what you might learn to love or who you might meet!

Walk around, especially without a destination.

I know this sounds cliché, but the best adventures around a city usually come as a surprise. The great thing about a place like New York City, is it is walkable and full of different stores, restaurants, and events in every nook and cranny. When I had a free day or a free afternoon, I always tried to grab a friend and go for a walk around a new area of the city. We could catch up and do some sightseeing. Often, this ended up with us walking into small and unique thrift stores or trying a new restaurant with the most delicious sounding appetizers. It turned out to be a great way to get familiar with a new place, spend quality time with my friends, and discover new types of foods and experiences.

Do you have a compelling story or student success tips you’d like to see published on the Pearson Students blog?  If you are a college student and interested in writing for us – click here to pitch your idea and get started!