First of all, don't tell me I made a mistake and threw the election in Donald Trump's favor. My single vote did not do a thing, especially since the county Penn State is in voted for Hillary Clinton. It's better than what I was going to do at one point, literally flip a coin in the voting booth to choose between the two major party candidates. I am an independent, who expected to be wooed by the candidates, instead, I felt more isolated as the issues important to me were being ignored. As the daughter of a lifelong Libertarian, I felt educated on their values and stances to a point where I was more than comfortable voting for Governor Johnson than the major candidates.

I would love to see the first female president, trust me; I complain about the wage gap often. I want to see a woman upset the status quo for my amazing, role model, great-great Aunt Corrine who was a suffragist and was lucky enough to live well into the Bill Clinton's time in the White House. I could not get behind Secretary Clinton though. Maybe it's because I'm weary of liberal policy and that my parents are expected to give the government so much of their income while paying astronomically high college tuition for me and my brother and still retire on time. I would've supported Senator Bernie Sanders during the primaries if I had been allowed to vote. Clinton has a problem getting people to trust her, she never felt authentic to me. I don't know why, as a feminist, I wanted to vote for her, but I didn't think she would fight for me the way she claimed.

Donald Trump was never treated as a serious candidate, and yes some of that is to blame on the media. Yet, America has spent the past decade enjoying Celebrity Apprentice with Mr. Trump, which is basically like voting for Lauren Conrad as Governor of California. The fact that he has won, with no previous government experience, is perplexing, but I can understand it. I, just like so many I know, are upset with the status quo, which is exactly why I couldn't back Clinton. Trump had solid views on issues that were more important to voters than Clinton's camp probably thought. The major turn off for me was his running mate, Mike Pence. A perfectly good Governor of Indiana, who thinks you can cure gay people via therapy. There is nothing wrong with gay people, and the fact that people believe this theory disgusts me. I couldn't feel OK with myself as a progressive woman voting for someone who wants to control my power via power or legislation nor someone who wants to "cure" my LGBTQIA friends.

I settled on Governor Johnson in mid-October, doubting the decision at times, but since my father and his entire family has educated me on libertarian values, I really resonated with the party this election. It was not a protest vote in my opinion. I do want a smaller government that lets me do whatever I please. Why would I want someone in the government to care about who I marry, my reproductive rights, if I choose to do drugs or drink, where I go to the doctor and who I want to be friends with? That should be my decision and my decision only. I did not protest the candidates this year, many of the votes for Trump were protest votes. He is the opposite of the progress we have made in the decade and I hope for the sake of everyone's future that we may find peace with the country's decision. We do not need any more hate and I'm sure all the candidates will agree. I do not need to be told that I set this country back for voting for Johnson, I did my best with the worst possible candidates.