In the early hours of November 9th, my heart stopped. The next day I was greeted with the tears of my floormates and the fears of my friends. Our normally busy bathroom was completely silent as we all wondered how this could have happened. There were many friends kicking themselves for not going out and voting. The guilt that people felt about not heading to the booth was incredible.

But now, the tears are gone, we're done talking about our fears, and for many, the guilt is gone. The initial storm has passed. How is it possible that only two weeks ago, we were so devastated and now we're back to life as usual? In reality, nothing has changed in our daily lives, at least not yet. Everything and everyone on campus is exactly the way they were before the results came through. No one has suddenly become a different person because of the results of the election. For better or for worse, our country is headed in a completely direction and we need to be prepared.

One question still burns in the back of my mind: Where will I fit in Trump's America? Does he mean the things he has said or was that just a way to get more people on his side? As a straight, white woman, the oppression I will feel from the results of the election are incredibly minor in comparison to my Muslim, African American, and LGBTQ+ friends. On a federal and state level, there is little chance that I will be extremely impacted in my everyday life. But the part of this whole situation that keeps me up at night is how my own local environment will change based on the rhetoric and thoughts of our President-elect. Will young men think that speaking about women like that is okay? Will people think that there is nothing wrong with mocking people with disabilities? This election felt like a huge step back from all of the progress that our country has made in the last few years. As a young person, I can't help but think about what the world will be like when I enter the professional workforce in four years. It may seem like we've been ignored and that the next few years will be dark and scary, but we have to remember how big our voices can be. Our government only governs us with our consent and while we might not agree with the choice of our Commander-in-Chief, it's important to know that he only holds so much power.

The voice of the younger generations carries much more weight that many people my age think. For most of my teenage life, I've heard that adults don't believe that young people have enough knowledge to form real opinions about things from politics to gender identity. Teenagers and young adults are not stupid. This group of people has never been more aware of the world around them then they are right now. I know so many amazing people that have taken the time to educate themselves and have a passion about the world around them. Our words and thoughts matter, even if the older generations don't want to listen. We are the ones who will shape the future, so don't let anyone tell you that we can't.

The result of this election has left our country angry, bitter and divided. While I am not at all happy about the way this has turned out, I believe that it will make our country -- our generation -- much stronger. Use whatever emotion you're feeling and channel that into pushing forward the progress of our country. Don't be afraid to use your voice and never stop fighting for the things you believe in. Hold on to your values and know that the light is at the end of this dark tunnel, even if it doesn't always feel like it.

"And to all the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams." - Hillary Clinton