With the 2020 Presidential Election right around the corner, it's important to think why exactly you should care about the outcomes. There are a variety of prospective candidates like Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg, Senator Bernie Sanders, Julian Castro, and many more. However, we also are aware that President Donald Trump has been adamant about running for another 4 years.

Every individual who declared their candidacy is unique in their own way. So, it is crucial that if you are planning to vote in this election, which I highly recommend you should make sure to do your own research other than keeping up with the mainstream media's version of research. It is not a bad thing to use your social media platform to express your beliefs about the issues that matter most to you, but it is bad if you solely regurgitate the information you find on social media.

Take the extra ten minutes to dig deeper into an article that you find interesting or a headline that caught your eye about a political candidate. This will not only make you more aware but will also enrich your knowledge come election day when it will be time to bubble in who you want to be the next President of the United States.

The 2020 Presidential Election will many young people's first time voting. I have talked to many individuals who will be 18 soon and they express nothing but enthusiasm when they tell me how excited they are to finally be able to pick up a ballot and have a chance to make their voice heard. I encourage them to at least take a few minutes to research a candidate that they find interesting so that they gain more knowledge towards what vote they want to cast.

I know that when I turned 18, voting was the top thing I wanted to check off my list. But when I see the new young people eagerly waiting for their chance to vote, I see more than enthusiasm, I see a refreshing wave of diversity and hope. I see progress and the will to get things done for our country; a breath of fresh air.

If we thought the 2016 election was going to be the one determining factor of the direction the United States would head towards, 2020 will be that times 10. Whether you fall as a Democrat, Republican, or right in the middle of the political spectrum, it is time you have your voice heard if you believe that the current administration is not representing you. The direction that our country is headed lies in our hands, nobody else's.

I understand that it can feel as if that our ballot seems like a washed out voice in the masses of the others and that we are not being heard, but that is not true. Your single voice, your single vote, can be the determinant between this Presidency or a new one. We have seen proof of the saying "Every vote matters" in our midterm elections, so why not keep that same faith for 2020?