Daniel A Perez

Graduation is Twelve Days away. In twelve days I will have completed four years at a
university and be moving on to the next phase in life. But as the milestone approaches I find
myself being cautioned against assuming a certain mentality, that of the care-free graduate no
longer responsible for keeping up with the readings. Rather, professors, friends, and my
subconscious are encouraging entering post-grad life with habits centered around life-long
learning. Perhaps even more important than when enrolled in classes, since the threat of a grade
is no longer motivating factor, I will be engaging in daily learning rituals to keep the mind sharp
and be an informed citizen.
I’ve always considered myself to be a news junkie. As a long-time, self-proclaimed
liberal, I find it important to keep informed of the socio-political landscape in Los Angeles,
California, and the larger United States. My passion for civil rights and environmental justice
issues keeps me hooked on a number of media platforms of which I will continue to subscribe
after graduation. Specifically, I read, to varying degrees, the LA Times, New York Times, CNN,
and USA Today either in print or on my phone/computer. On Facebook, I also get updates from,
in addition to the aforementioned channels, Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, LGBTQ Nation,
Politico, The Telegraph, Animal Planet, National Geographic, Tech Insider, Business Insider,
Buzzfeed News, and various government pages (elected officials, federal departments, etc.).
Lastly, in an effort to appreciate opposing viewpoints and develop more educated opinions, I
follow the “Right Wing News” page on Facebook. I’ll be quick to admit that my news feed is
nowhere near balanced in terms of the partisan political rhetoric, but I have found that my
personality in general is adept at considering all sides of an argument before reaching a
judgement.
In terms of frequency, I feel confident that I can stay up-to-date with current events, as I
check my phone more often than I care to admit, and get notifications from the major
publications when news breaks. If anything, I need to follow less news so that I’m not as
emotionally drained by the end of the day after reading about all of the negativity in the world. I
guess that’s why I also follow so many baking video channels.

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