By Kelly Jacobs
Me as a professional? But I’m still so young and “professionals” are much wiser and beyond my years! It has yet to sink in that in less than a month I will be entering that scary place people call the real world. YIKES!
I haven’t really needed to think about how I can educate myself daily because school has done that for me for the past 17 years of my life. But thinking about the fact that I will be trying to “adult” very soon, it’s probably smart to begin thinking about taking matters into my own hands. I wish I could honestly say that when I wake up in the morning, I drink my coffee and check my daily newspapers while I enjoy a nice croissant…but that is far from the truth. SO, I talked to some of my friends from high school and asked what articles, apps, blog posts, etc. they use to stay informed. After listening to what they had to say and doing a little research myself I came up with a solid list of sources I plan to check daily to stay current and to continue to educate myself while adulting.
To stay up-to-date I actually just subscribed to the news app on the iPhone, which is sad but didn’t know it existing until talking to my friends told me. I already love it!! I subscribed to the New York Times, LA Times, ESPN and Fox. Not going to lie… I feel pretty adult-like and sophisticated when I get the notifications from the news because let’s be real normally my notifications are from Instagram, Snapchat or one of my shopping apps telling there is a sale.
Another app that my friend told me is a must to download is the business insider. I can use this to read about current news articles relating to different industries, which will help me continue to learn what goes on in the business world. Continuing to grow my knowledge of business can really make me that much better in the real world especially in my professional life.
*Disclaimer: I have realized I love the idea of news apps because I know I will forget to check the news, but because these apps send notifications I don’t have to remember to check them…so great!*
An app that I already check daily that I currently use to educate myself is Snapchat. Snapchat has created a page where users tap on different stories to watch and read news articles. I love using this feature because it spices the news up by wording it in a way that is more fun to read than typical newspapers. Because I check Snapchat too many times a day this is an easy way for me to enjoy learning about what is going on around the world.
I have recently subscribed to theSkimm and I already love it! I get an email daily about current events and breaking news in a brief summed up version so I don’t have to waste too much time reading a lengthy article. The best part is the writers are in their 20s!! So they make it fun and easier to read all the while making me a little smarter!
I want to push myself to check LinkedIn everyday. I plan on following many people and companies in my industries of interest in order to stay up-to-date on what is going on in that world. Some industries I am interested in are interior design, event planning, PR and fashion. I think reading what professionals and companies in those industries post in regards to trending fashions or advice is a great way for me to grow!
I guess adulting doesn’t seem all too bad and it is probably time I take on some more responsibility. With all the scariness and pressure that comes with growing up I am excited to see what my life looks like after college and I am ready to continue to grow and learn each and every day!