My senior year of high school I took a government class, just like a lot of other American high school students. The thing that still stands out to me most from that class was the day one of my classmates spoke up and said that she doesn't believe her vote matters. I don't know if she still feels this way, but after the election last week I can't blame her. When you're as desperate as so many people were facing this voting day, it's hard to trust the system when you see an outcome you don't like.

So I'm partly writing this for her, but I'm mostly writing this for everyone who wasn't quite old enough to vote this time and who is old enough to be worried and disappointed.

First of all, don't you dare sit around feeling sorry for yourself. I know that you're probably scared right now, but you are not alone. So many Americans are scared--scared just to be who they are. Let me remind you that this is America, and it's a pretty great place to live for a lot of different reasons, even if that's hard to believe right now.

But don't just tell yourself that things will get better eventually. Do something. Do something big, do something small. Educate yourself. Learn about this nation's history, learn about how the government should theoretically function and how it actually functions. Don't just learn about national politics, immerse yourself in local politics as well. As I think many of us learned last week, it is easiest to affect change closer to home.

Get out there. Go out in your community and learn about the issues faced by various groups. Learn to empathize. Think about how you would feel if you were of another race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or economic sect. Learn about the issues that your community as a whole faces, not just the things that affect your own life.

How? Volunteer. Volunteer at food pantries, soup kitchens, after school programs, anywhere you possibly can. But don't just show up--really be there. Engage with the people you meet and learn what their fears and hopes are. Do everything you can to understand the lives of the people you walk past every day.

Take a class. Enroll in a government class and pay attention. Ask a lot of questions, challenge your teacher (just a little bit), and challenge yourself to think outside the box. Got a problem with the Electoral College? Come up with a way to fix it. Got a problem with the lack of term limits on senators? Come up with a way to change it. Got a problem with anything in our government? Learn how to voice what it is that bothers you, understand why it is the way it is, and then come up with some new ideas.

Talk to your friends, your teachers, and any local politician who will listen to you. Watch the news and know what's going on locally, nationally, and internationally. Form opinions. But try not to form too strong of an opinion right away. Consider everything, all the time. Get good grades, go to college, learn more. Get involved with groups whose passions match your own. Use these opportunities to make your voice heard.

And for goodness' sake, register to vote the very second you turn 18. That being said, don't be one of those people who registers and doesn't vote. You have to participate in the process if you want to make a change. And it is so, so important that you as a future voter who wasn't quite old enough this year, it is so important that you vote. Please. I know that you probably get tired of being told that young people, that your generation, is the key to change and progress. Trust me, I hear it all the time. But that statement isn't necessarily untrue. People tell you that your generation is key because it is. Your participation is important.

Now is not the time to sit around being upset. Focus on what specific issues you face, throw yourself into learning all about the government and what you need from it. Now is the time to engage in community and start working for the changes you want to see. This is your country, so get involved.