I thought it was a joke. I think on some level we all thought it was a joke. Donald Trump -- President of the free world. If you would have asked be 24 hours before election night I would have bet my life that America would have pulled it together just this once and not let this man be president of the United States. However, when I saw the U.S map turn red, I knew.

I had this horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach that we would not have our first woman president. No we would have a host of a reality t.v. show, a man who capitalized on the fear and hate of the American people be our next leader.

The next day I woke up and had five seconds of bliss, still in a daze. Five seconds passed before I remembered who our nation's President-elect was. But I had a morning workout to get to. So I got up and out of bed. Put on some workout clothes and hit the gym. Again, I was reminded how America will never be the same as my coach talked about the election. All of practice that morning was spent discussing Trump and Clinton. Normally, I’d get criticized on my form while weight lighting. Normally, I’m given a metaphorical book on everything I was doing wrong. Not that day.

Everyone’s minds were busy. Busy trying to understand what happened the night before and where we go from here.

It’s eerie walking into your university’s diner knowing exactly what everyone is talking about. I go to school in what is known as the hippiest town in all of Oregon. The university is liberal to say the least. Most of the campus wanted Bernie to win the election, when that wasn’t the case Clinton was the next best choice. Well, to be honest there are many best choices before we get to Trump.

I was still in disbelief. Never before has America had a man used fear and hate as such influential factors in a presidential campaign. And to think that it worked. As I went to bed that next night I foolishly looked through Facebook only to find an article on Trump’s first 100 day plan in the White House. That’s when it set in. That’s when I knew I wouldn’t be waking up from a horrible dream, that this wasn’t a trick and it was never a joke. President Trump was very much real.

I’m not much of a cryer. I don’t show my emotions. I keep them boxed up, only to be released when I’m so overcome by emotion that I can no longer resist. After reading Trump’s plan I cried. I cried my eyes out.

America is now in flux. I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I don’t know what protests will cause violence. I honestly don’t know what will become of us. But I am confident now more so than ever before that we are writing history. We have the pen in our hand and now we must decide what we do with such power.

Fear is a powerful emotion. Hate is powerful as well. However, when combined the two create a concoction for disaster. We cannot, as a nation, let this divide us. If we do so it will mean the end of what is left of this nation.

I will take the high road on this.

Yes, I am deeply frustrated by this election. I am frustrated that there are still people in this country that think a black man or woman are less human than a white man or woman because they have a different skin tone.

I am upset that some people in this country think love can only exist between a man and a woman. I am enraged that there’s an overwhelming amount of people in this country that are stuck in the 50s. I’m infuriated by the individuals that voted solely based on party. But what will hating those people do?

People are afraid. The protests we see, those are not people whining that their vote didn’t win. This was a historical election, it will go down in history books. A man who openly has the support of the KKK is our nations President-elect, people have a right to be terrified.

In many ways our nation has progressed greatly. Now it feels as though we have taken huge steps into the past but we must stand together, all of us. The past is gone and we must try our best to dare not repeat it. We must move forward.

America has never been much of a nation. America is an idea. The idea that anyone can influence change. Anyone can take a stand. I know in many ways the idea of America has been shot down. Through systematic oppression, sexism, racism, islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia the “American Dream” has only applied to a select few. But I still believe we, as a people can do anything.

I still believe that the people make this country what it is. I have to. It’s how I’ve gotten this far. It’s how I’ve proved myself wrong in moments of doubt. I’m lucky to have been born in a nation as great as this, and while we have a rough and painful past we can still influence our future.

Don’t let this election change us. Let it strengthen us. Our President doesn’t determine our nation. A President doesn’t have control of free will nor will he or she ever. We are more than our leader.