How to Become a Consistent Follower of the News

This post is for those of you that have decided that you want to follow the news regularly, but are having a hard time going from having never followed it or only following it occasionally. This is not a post to convince you that you should be actively learning about the things going on in our world. That would be for another post.

I decided to write this because I have actually had questions about it. I am no expert on the subject and I still have a lot to learn. However, this has been something that I have gotten significantly better at and so I thought that I would share some of my strategies.

I didn't start following the news until I was a senior in high school and, even then, it was rather occasional. My interest in politics and the world continued to burgeon and I would now consider myself a consistent follower. And, I didn't have the easiest time getting to the point of consistency. Initially, I was overwhelmed by how much I did not know. Every article I read referenced other current events that I knew little or nothing about. There were a whole host of politician's whose name's I did not recognize and some vocab words that were unfamiliar to me. But I kept at it because it was something I felt strongly about. I wanted to be able to say of myself that I cared enough about the world to know what was going on in it.

And, don't misunderstand me, I still have much to learn. But people don't have to be perfect to impart wisdom and that is what I'm holding onto as I write this.

Now, here are some practical steps that may help you to become a more regular follower of the news:

1. Make time. This is one of the biggest things. I mean, nobody has time to read the news, just as nobody has time to workout. They make time if it is something that is important to them. Personally, I like to watch the PBS Newshour on my laptop over breakfast. They upload their whole episodes from the evening before on their website. They are my favorite news channel and since I am rarely able to watch the program during its scheduled air time, this is an alternative that works for me. Plus, doing this online allows me to skip parts of news that I already know about.
2. Figure out how you like your news, whether its reading articles online, watching television, listening to the radio, or reading the paper. People prefer different things. I usually lean towards television and online articles.
3. Take advantage of news on your phone. Download news apps! Even if you usually choose social media apps over news apps, at least downloading one will make you more likely to use it every once in awhile.
4. Take advantage of social media. Have a Twitter? Follower news outlets, reporters, and politicians. They are endlessly tweeting about what is going on. Actually, one of my favorite things to do on Twitter is reading the political tweets, especially when something controversial has happened. You learn a thing or two and get a lot of laughs, as well. Facebook also has trending news on their sidebar. 
5. Research. If a particular news story piques your interest then learn more about it! And don't just say, "I'll Google that later" and then never do. Actually Google. Look into controversial events and politicians. And, please, do not ever vote without knowing at least something about what or who you are voting for. Also, I think that I should note that it is important to read information that comes from reliable and unbiased news sources. Or, if they're biased, at least be aware of their bias.
6. Discuss. I like to know people's opinions on things. Firstly, opinions from those I esteem highly and, secondly, anyone else. It's good to learn about different perspectives so that you can examine your own and change or solidify it. 

These may be obvious, but then again, maybe not. I think what it comes down to is being curious. The more you know, the more you realize how little you know, and the more curious you become as a result.