Time is winding down and tensions are starting to run a fever as Election day creeps closer and closer. Now that the first presidential debate is done, many people have their minds set on who they will vote for, while many are more conflicted than ever.

Because time is running out, I think we all need to take a seat and think long and hard about the decision that lies ahead. We all have our own thoughts and perceptions about our current Republican and Democrat nominees, but I want to encourage, if not challenge everyone to put a little effort into this election. What I mean by this is that people need to make more of an effort into knowing all they need to know about their chosen candidate. People need to climb over the mountain they've built for their chosen candidate - a mountain built on rumors, blatant lies, and biased reviews. This goes for any candidate.

I've noticed that on social media sites, most especially Facebook, that people are very quick to believe any kind of post, meme, or video against or for a certain candidate. As I've done this myself before, I understand how easy it is to jump, feeling angry or proud, and share it with your friends and followers. There's nothing wrong with this. But, when you post something that is completely false, from an unreliable source, then you are spreading a lie, spreading ignorance. Maybe you're thinking, well that isn't a big deal - when it comes to this carnival of an election, yes it does. People will wholeheartedly believe nonsense because it has thousands and thousands of views and shares, not taking the time to look into the information, or where it came from. When it comes to choosing the next leader of this country, this needs to stop. If you cannot take a minute or so to make sure what you're sharing or posting on isn't total bullshit, then you probably shouldn't be sharing those things.

When I think of this issue, it brings me back to high school english. I remember, when writing a paper, or doing a project, my classmates and I were taught to find credible sources to prove your point. If there any ten plus ads blocking your view off the page, it's probably not credible, especially if those ads are of half naked women and magical diet pills. A source isn't very credible if it's oozing bias from one direction or another. Blogs and bloggers are not always credible. Most of the time bloggers are sharing their opinions and feelings on things, not necessarily sharing factual news. Finding a decent, truthful, and informative place is really not that difficult. Specifically when it comes to the election, go straight to the source - the candidates website. Watch official videos from the candidates where you can hear what they're about and pushing for, again, straight from the source.

I truly think we all need to make this effort more so we, and the people on our social media are not spreading and believing lies. This is a huge annoyance of mine and I feel it's more important than ever with the presidential election now a month away. Our two candidates could not be any more different, as are their plans for the future of this country. Both sides are firing slander back and forth, making our views of them muddled. That being said, we need to take extra time to figure out for ourselves what is true and what is not. I think all of us are burnt out from the copious amounts of lies and exaggerations in this election. So again, I encourage everyone to go that extra mile and look into what you believe and share because it may not always be true.