The life of a college student is very “go go go”—especially for those of us who fall victim to the academic course load of “Work Forest.” There are mountains of assignments, back-to-back tests, hours of studying and meetings that probably could have been an email. The days fly by and we struggle to find a few free minutes.
With a never-ending list of responsibilities and activities, we find ourselves desperate to save any ounce of time. In this bustling environment, one of the first things to be compromised is how we get our news and information.
Mobile technology promises instant answers to every possible question. The quick evidence for debates with your stubborn father and the name of that actor from that one movie you and your friends can’t quite remember both show up in the Google AI Overview in seconds. If the answer isn’t on the first page of Google, forget about it. We don’t have the extra five minutes to dig through an article.
However, there is so much value in taking a few extra minutes to read about campus news, brush up on local politics, discover local art events and stay in touch with the opinions of peers.
It’s no surprise that as editor-in-chief, I believe it is important for students to stay up to date on current events by reading the campus newspaper. This letter is not an advertisement for the Old Gold & Black, but an urging for our generation to stay connected and informed beyond AI summaries and the clickbait on TikTok’s For You Page.
Information is power, and when we have reliable evidence, we can change our communities for the better.
There is strength in critical analysis that empowers us to not simply be bystanders in civic life, but make thoughtful decisions about communal issues. Whether in regard to housing changes or elections, answers are not always black and white. Nor can they be summarized in a single sentence. Reading newspaper articles broadens our exposure to diverse perspectives, cultivating a well-rounded worldview.
As young adults, we have aged into a decision-making role in society. We owe it not only to ourselves, but also to those in our community to be educated on relevant issues. An informed perspective is not developed by accepting the first answer generated by the search engine.
So I lied–this is a little bit of an advertisement for the Old Gold & Black. A test, if you will, to see if you read the article all the way through. But seriously, I implore you, take a few extra minutes and read full newspaper articles.
