What’s your favorite app? Is it Instagram? Facebook? Well, for me, every morning, the first thing I do (after hitting snooze on my three alarms) is check one of my news apps. Every night, the last thing I do before going to bed is check my news apps. I scroll through my CNN or Washington Post app to see what is going on in the world and our nation.

While I am particularly interested in the “Politics” section of the CNN app, I make sure to scroll through the “Top News” and “Entertainment” sections as well. To me, checking the news is something that everyone should do, at least once a day. I feel as though it is our civic duty to be kept informed about important decisions and stories and to “stay in the loop.” Is it really so difficult? We plan our days around HQ and we can’t take a moment to see what is going on around us?

Not knowing what is going on in the world is similar to walking into a classroom and forgetting you have an exam that day. Everyone around you is prepared and able to discuss the exam and have opinions about it, except for you. Or, when you realize that people surrounding you are debating the latest political decision and you are not up to date, it feels uncomfortable and you feel shallow. I’ve had these moments; we all have.

So, consider committing to staying on top of the news. Perhaps it could be a late New Year's resolution? You don’t have to be glued to a hardcopy of The New York Times. A simple glance over the CNN app or your local college newspaper, such as the Michigan Daily online, can be just as informative. It’s easier committing to that than the new exercise plan you devised back in December…