Another American was beheaded in the Middle East this week. U.S. citizens are risking their lives to stop the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa. Our nation’s capital is considering airstrikes in Syria. And Vladimir Putin is threatening to invade further in Ukraine.

Keeping up on the news is critical to people of all ages, but as a biased college student, it’s vital to our generation.

We have technology at the touch of our fingertips, yet many of us don’t take time to read about what is going on in this world. I’ll admit it. I’m guilty of this.

With classes, assignments, work and other projects that go on during the week, it’s hard to find time to set aside for something that seems to be left on the back burner when life gets busy. It’s easier for me, as North Wind staff, to just go about reading our weekly publication.

But that isn’t sufficient.And don’t read that wrong.

I am not saying our paper isn’t sufficient. I’m saying the information within our newspaper covers current events that relate to students on campus. It does not cover all levels of state, national and international affairs.

That being said, how am I to know what’s happening overseas if I don’t take the time to reach out to news channels that cover international news, as well?

It’s important to stay well informed of topics that affect our lives from all angles, whether it be on our college campuses, in our communities, across our states, throughout the nation and in the world.

We need to be well-informed. How else are we supposed to make decisions? If an important business meeting comes up at an internship you’ve just received, or a dinner meeting with a potential employer arises, being informed of what is happening in the world is a great conversation starter.

It’s also important to take part in the conversations that happen in these sort of settings.

Don’t forget, if you plan to vote, it’s important to understand which position you’re taking and why. A majority of the political decisions made by leaders in our nation are resources for forming opinions on their policies.

And sometimes, keeping up-to-date might just help you out with a pop quiz.

Knowing your current events will show that you are well aware of the importance of knowledge from all mediums, and you take the time to learn, outside of what is expected.

It also gives you an opportunity to take advantage of social media, which will provide you with information on the fly.

I know I need work on this. And I’m sure some of you do, as well. It isn’t always easy to find the time, but if you start small, you can build on habit.

Focus on reading one or two news articles a day. It takes a maximum of 10 minutes. From there, as the habit develops, you will be able to take the time to sit down and scroll through a news Web page, or even a newspaper.

If this is too much for you, start off by following your favorite news outlets on Twitter. Tweets are short, easy to read and easy to skim. They provide you with the general theme of the article and help you decide what to read.

Take the time to really read up on your current events. It’ll help you in the long run.

But hey, don’t forget to pick up a copy of The North Wind. It’ll keep you informed. It might even keep a few more people employed