With all the negative media attention surrounding the election this November, it has been hard for many Americans to get excited about voting for one of the main candidates. People feel as though neither candidate represents their values and goals for the nation, and some even feel that both choices would cause irreparable damage to America's policies and national image. Many Americans who normally vote Democrat or Republican are finding it impossible to support their party this year, and this internal conflict can cause them to not even want to vote at all in order to avoid the issue. Millennials especially are disillusioned with political parties and the whole debate surrounding this election, and I know that I personally have struggled with the idea of voting for a candidate who I do not believe has integrity or the nation's best interest at heart. The truth of the matter is: history will be made on November 8th, whether you vote or not. Regardless of the result, both political parties have received a wake-up call during this election season and will need to enact serious change if they want to capture the support of the public again. If the voting turnout for millennials is historically low, we will all still have to live with the consequences of this election.

But why would we just sit back and let this opportunity pass us by? As Millennials, we now represent just as much of the electorate as the Baby Boomers. Pew Research Center reports that 69.2 million millennials are eligible to vote, compared with 69.7 million baby boomers. So if we show up and make our voices heard, we will have just as big an impact on the result as our parents' generation. This is huge! Instead of complaining that older generations don't understand us or don't share our values, we have the opportunity to prove that we are invested in our nation's future and that we will actually work to make changes in our society and political process. You can't complain if you don't vote, and it's time for my generation to decide what we stand for. Pew reports that only 46 percent of eligible millennials voted in 2012, and 50 percent cast their ballot in 2008. In 2016, let's prove that we will strive for a better future for ourselves and for younger generations, and let's no longer let other people make decisions for us. Even if no candidate is your ideal choice for the leader of our nation, do your research and make an educated decision based on your conscience. This year, let's show the world that we won't pass up the chance to make history.