With the start of 2016, there are multiple resolutions every one of us is taking. There are so many things to look forward to this year in terms of entertainment! 2016 marks the start of the heated Presidential Election in November. For me, it will be the first time to vote for a president, so I have been trying my best to become acquainted with politics this past year.
A common misconception about young people is that they have the right to vote, but just don’t do it. While that might be the case for some, for me, I felt as if I've never received the proper education about voting in order to cast an educational vote. Voting was a mysterious event that happened, but no one could tell me where to even start! I had to do some online research, but that just made me even more confused and overwhelmed about the entire process. I had to ask a local government official about the process of registering to vote. I definitely think this confusion about voting is happening to many of my generation, so here in this article I'll provide some basic knowledge about voting:
There are so many things I don’t know, and if that is the case for you, then I would like to direct you to USA.gov. It is a helpful website that allows you to register to vote, and also provides links for specific state requirements and procedures! If this site is not enough for you, then contacting local government offices or even your college campus would be a great first step. Taking the initiative to find out more about voting and why it is important is something that every college student should not feel embarrassed or ashamed about! As Americans, it is our right to vote, and asking about our rights should not be embarrassing at all.
It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican or Democrat—all that matters is that you have the knowledge to vote! Some things I have learned in the past year are that the media is incredibly biased. It might seem obvious, but writing in an impartial manner is incredibly difficult, especially if the station, magazine, or corporation is Democratic or Republican based. Take everything you hear lightly; find the answers for yourself! Take the opinions of those closest to you and keep them in mind, but also see what the other side thinks. There might be overlaps in ideas, and if the candidates’ beliefs don’t align with you completely, it’s okay. This year there are a ton of candidates; it’s very difficult to know everything about a candidate’s platform, which is why you should start finding information and formulating your opinions today.
It’s the start of a new year. I challenge you to explore more about politics and formulate your own ideas about the presidential candidates. You have the time. And your vote matters!
