When you think of a newspaper, I’m sure you get a certain image in your head. A lot of people would describe an old man, with his reading glasses sliding off his nose, enjoying his Sunday morning coffee as he reads the paper. Or maybe the image pulled up is one of a paper boy wearing a cap and screaming, “Extra! Extra!” I doubt anyone came up with an image of a millennial reading a newspaper. I mean, you are currently reading this article online, probably even on your smartphone using the free Starbucks wifi. But there are so many benefits to reading a newspaper!

First of all, think of how you get your news now. Do you just read what people share on your Facebook wall, what’s featured on Snapchat or do you know what issues to Google? Having a newspaper is great because it conveniently has the most important, and usually locally relevant story already on the front page for you. And then, similar to websites, each section of the paper has different topics, so there’s a little something for everyone. Newspapers also have postings of upcoming events. New to town? Buy a newspaper and look for upcoming festivals or concerts to meet new people in a social environment. Tired of going to the same place for dinner? Check out the food section of the paper for a spotlight on an up and coming restaurant.

Another advantage to subscribing to a newspaper is stimulating your local economy. The stories featured in the paper are written by journalists who live in your community. You are helping keep their jobs secure. Businesses also advertise in the paper, so you may find something you wouldn’t see retweeted on your timeline. Your Sunday paper also includes coupons that you can use on many essentials you are already buying. Although many apps have left some features of a newspaper outdated, it is nice to read a well written article by someone who knows how to write.

This is in no way trying to get people off the internet though! My personal philosophy is that you can never read too much. Get all the information you can, using all resources available to you. A well-informed opinion is a respected opinion. Getting news from multiple sources can help you form that opinion. Newspapers generally have to remain unbiased – with the exception of reader submissions and papers that are separated by political parties – which is a great way to get the facts on a situation. Many online or television news sources are slanted to one side because they are allowed to be. There are few rules to the internet, which is great! But journalists have to put in hard work to get their stories because they have to research facts and interview people. I can sit here all day and argue why I think the sky is green, but a newspaper has to provide some credibility in order to keep their paid subscribers. After you find a story that interests you in the newspaper, you can then research it further online. You can find what other people are saying about the subject, then base your opinion off the facts that you've gathered from many sources. Another thing I like to do is read about a new business or event, then go find them on Facebook. I can then read the reviews, like the page, and continue to get updated on this new find.

While newspapers seem to be associated with an older way of life, I think that they can still be beneficial. They present information relevant to you in an easy-to-read forum, help the local economy, and provide you with helpful, credible information. So maybe the next time you have a lazy Sunday, pop in your contacts, take an uber to Panera, and buy a newspaper to sit and read while you enjoy brunch. Who knows, maybe it’ll provide some good "hashtag educated" tweets, a new topic to bring up in the group chat, or at least an Instagram photo op.