Resolve to be better informed

New Year’s resolutions are always a hit and miss. I’ve never been big on celebrating the New Year, so resolutions generally aren’t at the top of my list. One year I resolved to keep a diary and cut back on chocolate; fast-forward to today and I’ve got an unfilled journal and candy wrappers next to my bed, so that’s my track record in a nutshell.

Still, I like the idea of resolutions. If a person wants to better themselves and set explicit goals, more power to them. I especially admire people who kick old habits and use their newfound time or energy, like losing a lot of weight and starting a fitness program, or overcoming an addiction and helping others who are struggling.

It’s little things that add up to the big goal. If we gradually keep on keepin’ on, we will get where we want to be.

In the spirit of mini-resolutions, let me offer up a resolution we can all keep: read a news article once a day.

Now, I’m not trying to use my editor position and preach at you all to read The Eagle more (although I’m appreciative when you do). Instead, I want to encourage our age group to get more in touch with the events unfolding around us. Pick an article from any local, state or national news source and absorb what the article says.

For an example, I read an article today from ABC News concerning the government shutdown and explaining how it’s affecting average Americans. From it, I learned that although Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are still operating, the IRS is not, meaning tax refunds could be delayed. I learned all of this from just ten minutes with an article, and it was time well spent.

Part of the problem, at least from what I have heard from my peers, is that many don’t know where to get their news from. Who should we trust, and how do we find those deemed trustworthy?

My tip? Avoid televised news or news provided by social media platforms.

It’s easy for news to be sensationalized, especially when it’s breaking and all the facts haven’t been gathered. However, odds are if you’re reading an article in a paper, the reporters have already done the hard work for you and sifted through credible sources to bring you a factual, quality article.

As 2019 begins, let’s resolve to become more knowledgeable of the world around us. Don’t rely on your news from Snapchat or Facebook. Instead, actively pursue credible sources and find out what’s going on. The world is counting on our generation to make informed and impactful decisions, so let’s pick up a paper and get reading.