Pay attention to news produced by on-campus groups

Imagine, if you can, a campus where your only news comes from The Record, the radio, TV and the windblown national papers in Gorecki.

Imagine a world without phones blaring individualized, up-to-the-second news: international crises, celebrity gossip and everything in between. Instead, imagine the newest Record edition, thrown onto the library table or dorm room floor, as you read the latest news and race to do the sudoku with your friends. Imagine hearing the radio show of that person who always seems so quiet in class. Imagine your favorite club’s latest initiative or event gaining traction through a well-crafted Johnnie Bennie News feature.

This kind of community connection is made possible by having pride in your campus news.

Disclaimer: I don’t work for The Record. I don’t work for Johnnie Bennie Media. I don’t work for MPR. However, I’ve had the joy to experience many thrilling moments where someone said, “Have you seen The Record today??”

Our attention is pulled in so many different directions by the current news ecosystem. What has the algorithm (see: The Social Dilemma on Netflix) decided will keep your attention and keep you viewing ads on your phone today? Wise words on money management from a billionaire? A biography of your second-favorite musician? You settle on an infographic describing “Six habits of mindful college students.” Meanwhile, notifications pop up and ding: two people sent you a snap. You have three emails. Your professor gave you a high five!

In between, companies you’ve never heard of try to sell things you don’t need or want with colorful, inescapable animated ads. This kind of constant mental noise is a recipe for distraction, scattered thoughts and unfocus. At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, it’s pretty cool that newspaper ads don’t pop up or blare music.

Plus, you can read the newspaper in the sun without squinting at a screen, taking advantage of all the sunny tables around campus and the great weather. But the coolest part of campus news is that it’s yours. Your friends, your classmates, and your professors are talking about your campus, your events, and your concerns. The same goes for Johnnie Bennie Media—have you seen their cool video of the Collegeville Dropouts performing Liam’s original song?

The more we care about hyper-local campus news, the more we’ll be able to connect with each other about things we love and create change for things we don’t. Student reporting by our peers creates a shared, personal story that national news can’t replicate—although please do stay current on national and international news if that floats your boat.

At the risk of sounding even MORE like a Luddite: The original CSBSJU Confessions page was the Editorial section of The Record. If you’ve got something to say, say it in 400 words! I look forward to seeing your voices.