Let me preface this article by stating that I am all for having your own political views. As a college student, I can vote and come November I plan to proudly select the candidate who I think will be the best fit for our country. As a nineteen-year-old, I am legally allowed to vote, and I plan to exercise my right to vote and do it proudly.

I have made my candidate decision by my own means. Yes, my parents have told me who they are voting for, but I have decided to vote for someone else despite what they think about this candidate, and they support my freedom to choose whoever I want.

There is nothing that irks me more than when young adults, especially high school seniors and college students, vote for a candidate for no other reason than the fact that their parents are voting for that candidate and told them to vote for that person as well. I know too many people who, when talking about political views, just spout off the same things that their parents have been saying without giving any thought to their own opinions.

Now, this is not to say that you cannot vote for the same person your parents are voting for or that you cannot have the same views as your parents. If you truly believe that you should vote for the same person based on his or her political stances and platforms, then go for it. Just make sure that you know the reason WHY you are voting for that candidate: Are you voting for Trump because your parents are voting for Trump? Or is it because you truly believe in and support his platforms?

I think that you can vote for whomever you want as long as you have reached that decision on your own. There are things that I disagree with my parents, and that is okay. They recognize that I am an adult, and I am allowed to form my own political opinions and can choose whomever I want to vote for, even if it is not the same person that they are voting for.

Even though you are your parents' child, you do not have to agree with everything they believe. If you are scared that your parents will resent you or be mad if you vote opposite them, remember that voting is an anonymous and private process and that you, as a legally voting young adult, can vote for whomever you believe in. There is nothing your parents can do to prevent it.

If you find yourself saying, "I am voting Republican because my parents are Republicans, and they're voting Republican," then think again. If you are eighteen, you are guaranteed the right to vote by the Constitution, and you should exercise the right to choose whomever you want, despite who your parents are voting for. Being able to vote is a privilege and not one that should be taken lightly. If you are eighteen years old and registered to vote, you need to recognize that you are an adult and you should come to your own conclusions as to who you think should be our country's leader.