Most of us know the excitement that comes with turning 18. You're finally considered an adult, you can legally buy scratch tickets and you have a lot more responsibility in the world. Turning 18 also means you can finally go out and vote for the things important to you. I turn 18 on Friday, and while I'm a little bit afraid to grow up, I'm also excited for the future.

One thing I was really looking forward to doing as a new adult was voting for our new President. I felt lucky that I would become an adult just a few months before the most important voting day would happen. Naturally, I paid a lot more attention than usual to politics this year. I felt it was important to be educated on what was going on so I could make the right choice in November. However, I've been more than a little disappointed throughout this entire election.

When I first found out that Donald Trump was running for president, I assumed it was either a huge publicity stunt or a joke. I even found it funny at first, because I couldn't imagine anyone actually taking Trump seriously. It was difficult to even take any of the election seriously. It all seemed more like a reality television show rather than an important political event.

As the election went on, I found it a lot less comical and a lot more terrifying. Of course this is just my personal belief, but Trump goes against everything I think is right. I honestly can't imagine having him in charge of an entire country. I'm afraid not just for my own generation, but for future generations as well. Trump definitely has some horrible, downright scary ideas. It makes me wonder what the country will be like if he can actually go through with those ideas.

I don't want my future kids growing up in a place that teaches you to be afraid of anyone not from here, that members of the LGBTQ community aren't important or that women have no right to make their own decisions. Trump honestly makes me think that with him as president, America will regress instead of make progress and move forward. That is not what I want for our country.

Aside from Trump, I had a hard time liking any other candidates. Bernie Sanders seemed to have the best ideas, but unfortunately he never gained the kind of traction he needed to win the race. Hillary Clinton, in my opinion, is very problematic in her own ways. She may not be as bad as Trump, but I really do feel that trying to decide between them is like picking the lesser of two evils. That wasn't how I wanted this election to make me feel.

When the election started, I was expecting to be involved and happy about at least one candidate. Now, there is no candidate I can actually visualize as a good enough person to be president. I'm involved in politics, but I am not happy. I really only have a negative attitude toward pretty much everything going on. I'm not even excited to vote in November anymore, because I feel like voting for either Trump or Clinton is a mistake.

I've always felt that as an American, I need to exercise my right to vote. Especially being a woman, I feel it's important because so many other women fought to get us this right. Not voting at all seems to me like I wouldn't be doing my part as an American. However, I'm conflicted. I don't want to vote for anyone unless I truly feel they should be President. I don't feel that way at all, about anyone. A part of me is still waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and tell the whole Nation we've been "Punk'd."

While it would be nice if this whole election had been some kind of social experiment, I know that is not the case. I'm still excited to finally turn 18, to start college and plan my future. I'm not sure what I'll be doing on voting day, but I know I'll be sad either way. As a young American with the ability to help make this country better, I can say I am thoroughly disappointed with how this year's election has turned out. Hopefully 2020 brings something better.