As college students, the issues surrounding our country are issues that will follow us into our futures as we become this country's leaders. Voting is one of the few ways that we as college students can be actively involved in the decisions that are being made in our country. It is a right that we should hold onto and take advantage of in order to better the country we live in.

1. It is our right.

In our modern, changing world, there are a lot of new ideas being expressed and old ideas still being fought for, such as the fight for marriage equality, the country's stance on abortion, and our involvement overseas. It is our right, as the next generation of leaders, to determine what impact we have on our country. We will not be able to influence our leaders until we become involved in the real issues and exercise our right to vote.

2. These are our issues.

The stability of the economy will determine how many of us who graduate college will actually hold a job in our field of study. Our foreign policy will decide how we interact with the rest of the world and how the rest of the world perceives each of us. The always controversial budget will determine how much funding continues to benefit schools and how much is cut. Voting allows us to have a say in who is making those decisions on the issues that will affect us.

3. It is our future.

By expressing our views at the polls, we are ensuring that political figures are creating a country that we will be proud of when we have children. We do not want to be known for the debt we create but rather for the dent we make in the debt from previous generations. Our futures depend on who we elect to represent us. Our children and grandchildren will look to the leaders of our generation and judge them as we judge the leaders we see now.

4. It is our voice.

Lawmakers will listen more readily to the needs of us, as college students, if we are actively involved in the political process. When we do not vote, our voices are not being heard. In order to shed light on college issues, we need to become informed with the candidates and vote for those whose views align with our own. Voting is our way to show the country that we are informed and that we are concerned about its future. Our issues would be put in the spotlight on a much larger scale if we gained the support of nationally recognized political figures.

5. We sway the vote.

Many of us choose not to vote because we think that there is no way that we could matter or make a difference. If every college student voted, the vote could be drastically swayed. By us becoming involved in the voting process, candidates would have to focus their platforms on us when they run like they do the small business owners, military, Hispanics, etc.

6. We have a vision.

As college students, most of us have larger than life ideas of what we can do in the world. We can see ways to make the world a better place, and many times we believe that no one will listen to us because we are young. Voting will show us that our voices can be heard and that our plans can be put into action. If we could become a group of voters worth reckoning with, we could share our visions to those in power and see the real world change begin.