The time has come to submit my vote for the election year. I can’t say that I am particularly excited about this one. With being a first time voter, there is a lot of pressure on my shoulders. With this pressure, comes panic and fear of messing up. As we all have been aware, our two main candidates have some issues within themselves. We are to decide between a candidate who can’t keep his mouth shut, and one who can’t seem to tell the truth. Whoever wins, there will be a vast majority of people who are unhappy. So where do I fall?

As a young adult, I try and please the people around me. I am taught to build connections and take advice from ones with more experience. For this voting season, I feel that is all I have been doing. I have been lectured again and again about who to vote for and why. I have had 20 minutes, up to an hour discussion of why I should lean one way not the other. It has gotten so intense that I have had these discussions in the most inappropriate places. It is almost like election year is the most intimidating year of my life. Once they find out I am of age to vote, various phone calls, flyers and commercials are being shoved down my throat. I want to make a vote that will benefit our future, not destroy it. Being able to make a big decision like this is so impactful, I need more information than what ‘Twitter’ can provide.

As the time comes closer, I begin to even panic more. I don’t want to disappoint my town or my family. My friends know me well, maybe I should listen to what they are saying. Although all of these seem reasonable, they definitely are not. Voting is an independent thing. I have listened to many lectures or ‘lessons’ on each candidate. I have even considered the third parties.

With all of this in mind, I decided to make a bulleted list, and research for myself. I have watched the presidential debates, I have done the research on all the topics discussed, and I have had my fair share of past research. I have even went as far as researching the exact impacts a President can make. Are they really in charge, or are they more of a figurehead for our nation? With either candidate elected, I want to know exactly what they can do without the approval of the Congress or the approval of the people.

With voting already taking place, I am sure most of you have already voted; and for that, I applaud you. It is important to vote, even if you are unsure on the candidates. Even if you have doubts on each one, it is important to do research and pick one that you feel more trustworthy with.

Like this year, we aren’t always promised the prime crop for candidates. In fact, we are never promised a decent candidate. As an American, we are expected to look at those running, decipher who is fit and who isn’t; and to our own discretion, we are to vote. Whoever is elected to be our next President, I am comfortable that as a nation we will continue to build and grow. One person, in charge or not, shouldn’t be the reason our nation falls. We are built by the people and for the people. Let us not forget whose nation this is.

We need to take pride in America and stand for what we have always stood for. Through the fall and through the gain, we are one together.