Staying socially updated: a need of the hour

In order to get the right gig, the right job, the right career, and the right friends, it is important to create a stable image of your personality for the person on the other end. You are likely to accomplish your task by being the updated person. Of course, it is impossible to keep a tab of everything that the other person might be interested in to get your goal achieved, but you can try to be knowledgeable and create a genuine image of yourself.

To make your job easier, here are 7 ways, you can stay socially updated as well as be aware about information the other person might be interested in talking about when you converse (without the need to pretend to check your phone for notifications to sneak a peek on google)

1. Spend 5 minutes of your day going through general headlines in the news

A company wants to employ workers that are well informed about their country’s current affairs. This is crucial because every decision taken by the country’s financial, medical, defense, or any other system has a major impact on the company’s working system. Staying updated on current affairs also assists you to be able to answer questions related to them in a job interview. The news contains data that might be essential to make changes to the way your business/ company reacts to and trades with customers and other businesses.

2. Read at least one book each month

Although reading can seem quite dull and like something that only bookworms could do, this is a myth. Reading increases your level of focus, which can help you avoid dozing off while your teacher is discussing a particularly difficult concept. Reading does not make you a bookworm or a nerd. Books are a fantastic way to find out about places and experiences you may never have the chance to encounter in person. Aside from that, there is some information you might learn, from details of global geography to the cycle of the climate in various regions of the world, to how people behave under pressure and get out of wild situations! Reading a book provides you with words, phrases, and concepts you can use while conversing with a more knowledgeable person.

3. Watch documentaries

Let's face it: life is no fun without Netflix. Many critics think it's a waste of time to watch shows on these subscription services, but I beg to differ. You can learn as much from TV shows and documentaries as from textbooks. Additionally, since these movies and television series teach you about the actual world, there is nothing wrong with watching them. Reality is "documented" in documentaries. Real-world experiences can be visualized, and you can take lessons from them. Out of all these, “14 peaks”, “downfall'' and “return to space” are a must watch for a taste of adventure!

4. Take online courses

You can sign up for online courses about a variety of topics, including data science, robotics, drone engineering, and aeronautics, on a number of different websites while you pursue your studies. Some of these programmes vary in length from three weeks to six months. The ideal approach to learn about difficult subjects in one's leisure time is through online courses, which will increase your productivity more than anything. If you choose to pursue your career in a relevant subject, you may even be able to obtain a certificate at the end of these courses.

5. Join an NGO

Numerous nonprofit organizations carry out offline and online initiatives to promote social development and public awareness. Additionally, working for an organization as a volunteer or intern looks fantastic on a CV and gives you conversation starters. Although it may seem like too much work, with excellent time management you can balance academics and extracurricular activities with ease, which is actually a fantastic practice for when you enroll in a university. Being socially conscious gives off the excellent impression that you are involved in society and concerned about the future.

6. Hang out with people more concerned about climate change, and the warfare situation, stock market fluctuations, and not some incident at an award show.

Good company is the key to a good conversation. It is necessary to be with people that are intellectual and open minded. Avoid gossiping and spend quality time discussing current situations. Be open to their opinions and value their point and put across your views firmly as well. A fruitful discussion is great help for later!

7. Play video games and build a connect with other gamers (keep in mind the negative aspects and the screen time)

Believe it or not, games are proven to boost brain connectivity gaming, improve communication skills, resourcefulness, and flexibility as video games increase critical thinking and reflective learning ability. As long as you control your screen time, gaming induces social skills in a person and he/she is much more comfortable around new people and striking up quality conversations.

These are 7 small ways that help you make a big difference in the way the other person makes an image of you. First impressions are the best ways to get gigs. So always look out for life changing opportunities and be confident. Believe in yourself, take a deep breath and leap across to success!

By

Yana Bamb

Wisdom High International School

Govardhan Campus (GOC)

10A IGCSE