Freshman me ambitiously reading the New York Times
I always find it interesting whenever my friends tell me “well I’m not in Newhouse so I don’t care to keep up with the news too much.” While I’ll be the first to admit that my friends in other colleges here at Syracuse are very well informed, I always find a select few that believe that news just “isn’t for them.”
In today’s society, staying up to date with current events is easier than ever before. Gone are the days when people tuned in to watch the 6 o’clock news and waited for the morning paper. Now, push notifications inform us of breaking news and websites scan and trim articles to provide us the key information. There is really no excuse to stay in the dark.
A particular website that has been especially useful in allowing me to stay up-to-date with all news is Skimmin. Not to be confused with the super incredible newsletter, The Skimm (which you all should immediately sign up for), Skimmin is the perfect source for fast fact news in any subject.
The site’s design is incredibly contemporary, with no cluttering ads or unnecessary texts. It reads exactly like a news feed, with filters on the side so users can sort through content. The news bites are color coded by topic, and only show a headline with a quick blurb with what you need to know. A link is posted to the original article so interested users can read more.
I often find myself scrolling down the site during my downtime and quickly debriefing myself on the current state of the world. While some news don’t seem as hard pressing information as others, they’re always nice tidbits to know (ask my roommate about the conversation that sparked after I told her someone won a Nobel Price for inventing LED lights).
Another worth-mentioning feature is that Skimmin recently, and I mean very recently, revamped their app. The app steers from the traditional concept of the website, and instead of serving as a feed that should be checked every few hours, it serves more as a daily briefing. Each morning, new articles are posted to inform you of everything you need to know that day. On busy news days, the app will get refreshed and you have a new set of content to read.
Like every other college student, I never have enough time. While I would love to make myself a cup of coffee every morning and flip through the New York Times, I always seem to find myself in a steady state of busyness throughout my day. Skimmin allows me to keep up with the news by fitting in with my active lifestyle. There really is no excuse to stay uninformed; download the app and read it on your walk to class, or whenever you find yourself aimlessly checking your phone. There’s a whole world out there to learn about!