Being on a college campus every day, I am constantly surrounded by mixes of students with different opinions and different livelihoods that I decided were time to put to the test. With the presidential elections coming up, disputes on social media and even in the classroom arise, so being home for the break I tracked down a Trump sticker to put on my computer and see how different teachers and students would react to me just based on where I decided to show my support.

Now here’s a disclaimer: this is not an article over my political opinion, and I will keep it as unbiased as I can without revealing who I voted for (and the sticker is not a hint at who, either).

I went in with the game plan that I was not going to fight back or induce any type of conversation based on the name splashed on my computer but to have more of a ‘sit back and relax’ mentality. Going into Monday for class the looks were not something I was used to, it was one of those moments where if you ever thought people were talking about you, the thought was undeniable now. When I was about to go into my second class of the day that’s the first time I was called out for it, but it was more like an attack asking me tons of questions and forcing me to defend myself as if I had just committed an offensive crime, instances like this carried on throughout the week and even to the point where I had a teacher talk to me about my political views -it forced me to become bitter towards the people I go to school with. Over the course of the week I have had over 30 random people approach me with an aggressive attitude as well as friends talk about changing the status of our friendship just because I expressed a political opinion they did not agree with.

It is when I truly realized the meaning to be a ‘land of the free’ as well as ‘the home of the brave’ and the freedom to choose our leaders don’t just become null and void because there is someone running for office we don’t agree with. Everyone has dark secrets and has said and done a thing they are not proud of, that does not define a person or candidate. Not everyone views economics and immigration the same way, just because they do not agree with you does not mean they are wrong.

The best part of a democracy is our ability to have a choice, and to act on what we choose. All of the arguments in the world, whether initiated by you are someone else, do not hold any weight if we do not get up and vote for those we agree most with. And even if there is not a candidate you agree on in all circumstances, pick one you can most associate with and go and vote because you can expect the country to change in the way you feel is best if you just assume someone else will vote for you. Young or old our voices matter and people have died and continue to fight for our country in order for us to have those privileges, so it would be a shame to deny our own freedoms we take for granted every day. I also urge that if you have a political difference with someone you do not attack them with ‘what are you thinking’ rather than ‘why do you think that or what makes you feel the way you do.' You will quickly learn that conversations will go a lot further than arguments and you might learn something new in the process.