Many young people, especially me, don’t know much about the ins-and-outs of politics, and I write this in that context. Despite this, there are constant debates about whether Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and now Gary Johnson, should be elected. This can be expected during any election year, but it seems as though this one is much more turbulent than in the past.

We have, for the first time, a woman nominated for the presidential ticket. It seems marginalized groups in society may finally have a chance, starting with the election of Barrack Obama. There has been worry about women just voting for her simply because she is a woman (which is false, considering most women are educated enough to actually care about the candidates beliefs.) Hillary Clinton has been a first lady before, and despite the affair of her husband, they seemed to be well-received in office.

There have been several issues with Hillary. Two instances are the scandal involving the use of private emails in a governmental situation and blame for attacks in Benghazi. She is not seen as honest and trustworthy in the eyes of America. However, she does a lot for the American people. Through her lifetime, she has been a strong advocate for the disadvantaged in society. When health issues from respondents of 9/11 arose, she was heavily involved in the investigation and treatment of the group affected. She supports LGBT and women’s rights, financial reform to the rich, and citizenship paths for immigrants. Along with these interests, she has had a consecutive interest in helping children and families in need.

Donald Trump is known for being exponentially wealthy, for being narcissistic and for his rude attitude toward others. He has had several reality shows, been bankrupt four times and has had numerous business endeavors that failed. Trump expresses his beliefs and opinions with a stubbornness that doesn’t cease in his speeches and public engagements. Since running for presidency, he has had several controversies, such as mocking a handicapped reporter, wishing to ban Muslims, being misogynistic, deeming Latinos as lesser people and wanting to build a wall around America to keep Hispanics out. These are not simply statements and acts he made before campaigning as president. He continues to have strong racist, sexist and homophobic views in his speeches. Despite the many issues some American’s have taken with Trump, there is a large amount of support in America. Trump has been accused of being racially discriminating in housing, threatening and harassing women, and even having ties to the Mafia. It is unbelievable that such a man has so many citizen’s support, but he does. Not everything is negative about Trump. In fact, he wants to save Medicare and Social Security programs and allow for economic growth within society. He also wants to lower tax rates and repeal Obamacare (which many Americans have a negative association with.)

There are both positives and negatives to both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. There is the possibility of Gary Johnson being elected, but it seems as though our country has low odds in getting a favorable president.

So what can you do? Other than voting and volunteering on campaign trails, there isn’t much you can do (at least politically). However, you can make a huge difference in our society. Instead of focusing solely on big ticket issues like taxes, laws, and politics, the American population needs to help each other on the home front. The poverty rate, as of 2014, was 14.8 percent. This is defined as having a four-person family and only making $23,834 a year. There are problems with the definition of poverty as well, but the facts remain: Many Americans struggle to get through life with financial wellness. Without this stability, mental health, education and likelihood of committing a crime all surface. There is not an American dream of streets paved with gold. How can that be real when millions of people visit food drives, deal drugs to support their families, and freeze on street corners every day? The answer: it isn’t. Poverty isn’t the only thing affecting our society. About 25 percent of young people drop out of school in America. There is a report of child abuse made every 10 seconds in this country on average. As many as 325,000 children are at risk for being sexually trafficked every year. One in seven children will run away from home between the ages of 10 and 18. And 564,708 people were homeless in January of 2015.

How can you make an impact on these statistics? You can be a more present person in society. If you see something suspicious happening or know of someone having troubles, report them or try to help them the best you can. If you suspect abuse, report it. If you see someone who is homeless, try to direct them to the nearest shelter. These ideas are idealistic and many Americans don’t have the time to help others. But imagine if you or someone you loved were in the same situation, wouldn’t you want help? Even simple acts of kindness can go a long way in a person’s wellbeing. Taking it a step further, you could also volunteer. Many advocates for poverty, child wellbeing, and other nonprofit agencies value every volunteer they have. Even if it is just a small amount of time, you have made an impact. In general, citizens just need to be more respectful and kinder to others, especially those struggling. If everyone did this, we wouldn’t live in such a turbulent society.

In conclusion, the election does not matter as much as it seems to. If Hillary is elected, she will not keep promises and neither will Donald if he is elected. Instead of focusing only on the upper level of government, American citizens need to care and help other people around them. If more people cared and advocated for issues I have mentioned, it won’t matter as much what anyone does because society will be more stable. Yes, your vote matters. Yes, it matters who gets elected for many reasons. However, instead of putting all the blame and hope on one person and expecting them to deliver this country out of ruin, we need to step up as Americans and be brothers and sisters to one another. No matter how the election turns out, you can make a difference.