International issues start as another country’s problem.

In 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

More recently, Ebola struck West Africa in 2014, and COVID-19 developed in China two years ago. The polar ice caps are melting as we speak. Even though the Ukraine invasion is an ocean away, college students should be informed of how the Ukraine invasion affects us and how we can help.

Here are three ways college students are indirectly affected.

Inflation across the board

Inflation in energy, oil, travel and food is covered in a New York Times article titled “What Does Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine Mean for the U.S. Economy?”

If the world is facing a potential energy crisis, the renovations to Warner Hall and other older campus buildings may be even more beneficial financially.

As far as traveling, college students dread dropping a pretty penny on gas. Some Lopers already bought plane tickets to the Czech Republic. 

The study abroad program is monitoring their safety and health during the Ukraine conflict.

Ukraine is the world’s largest exporter of wheat, but the U.S. does not receive a large number of goods from them. 

It will be interesting to see how prices of meals, living expenses and tuition may be affected in the future. 

Potential digital attacks

U.S. universities may be susceptible to digital attacks by Russia, according to an article by UNK News titled “ITS leaders ask UNK campus to be aware of increased threat of cyber attacks.”

UNK News suggested students keep an eye out for phishing, use Duo authentication, protect their passwords and “use anti-virus protection from Cortex XDR.”

Social media in wartime

Social media allows for the world to experience the invasion second-hand. With today’s technology, social media users can film the war in real-time, using Facebook Live and TikTok. 

This makes it easy to fall into rabbit holes and misinformation. While it is good to be informed, consume content in moderation.

The U.S. economy is experiencing minor inconveniences compared to the Ukrainians who are defending their land and seeking refuge.

Even though we are tucked safely in Kearney, Lopers still have the opportunity to help.

Starting next week, donation boxes will be placed around campus for people to drop in personal hygiene products. 

Community members can donate at https://kearneyfoundation.org/help-ukraine.