I’ve been waiting to write this article for a number of reasons. The first being, educating myself about politics has never been my priority, or seem need be. Second, I didn’t want to write an opinion piece that would piss everybody off who read it. Third, my goal is not to tell others how to vote.

I’m a college student who has never had an overwhelming desire to vote, never paid much attention to the political campaign or really cared who was president because I didn’t feel it was “that” imperative. My mom is definitely a Democrat, but I honestly didn’t know the difference between Democratic and Republican until this election.

Donald Trump announced his candidacy in June of 2015. Most college students, being social media savvy were very much aware of this. As young, immature adults we laughed at this. Many of us thought it was a joke, my friends reacted with, “Donald Trump is a TV showboat; he’s not really going to run for office.” We weren’t immersed into the political happenings; we were prepping for a spring semester spent abroad. And as mentioned previously, we never thought he’d actually be elected as a “real” candidate, and we were still waiting to learn more about the other candidates before we invested our opinions, thoughts and/or potential votes.

Jump forward to my study abroad trip to Italy. It was absolutely amazing, and Italians never once talked to my American friends and I about politics. We were so immersed in the culture we never once stopped to think about America unless it was to talk to our friends and family.

I had never heard the term “build the wall,” until I was standing in a bar and a group of guys (American, not Italians) were chanting and screaming it at me. I was confused at what it meant but one of my friends from another school gave me a very uncomfortable look. Her face and the group of guys yelling in anger made me quickly realize it was something derogatory towards me. I was speechless. In 21 years, I have never been called an “illegal” or asked by someone, “Show me your green card,” until this election and slandering of Mexicans. Other comments I have since met went something like: “You’re getting deported once Trump is president” and my favorite, “Go jump the border back to where you came from!” (For the record, I was born in Ohio. I am an American, dammit.) I’m not trying to say it's Donald Trump’s fault, however, I am saying his influence has affected the way Americans view race in a negative way. 21 years, 2 states (Ohio & Texas), a small farm town, a city suburb and I have never once had a racial slur thrown at me. All of my life, it didn’t matter the color of my skin, nobody cared they saw me as a student, a Texan or an Ohioan and that was my stereotype and I was proud and happy of that.

Perhaps a bit delayed, but after such happenings occurred, my attention was had; I had to read up on the term “build the wall," because I really didn’t understand. After doing so, I without a doubt returned to the states with a new outlook on politics. I wanted to know everything about this campaign. For starters, I wanted to know why Donald Trump thinks Mexican immigrants are “Rapists” and that we’re bringing “drugs and crimes” over the border. I want to know why Trump discriminates not only Mexicans, but also African Americans, Jews, people with disabilities, and other Americans. I would like to know why Donald Trump described two men who brutally assaulted a Hispanic homeless man as “passionate.” I want to know why he has lied so many times, then when confronted he redirects the conversation and never owns up to his mistakes. I want to know why he can disrespect another country’s government and accuse them of sending their criminals over the border to our country because "they don't want to pay for them. They don't want to take care of them"; yet he has never once taken responsibility for his actions.

I have never felt uncomfortable with my ethnicity until now, which is why I had to put my experiences into words. I’ve never been interested in politics until now, and I recognize the need to be an educated voter. I can’t help but read every article that crosses my path, watch every conference I possibly can, and sit though a tortuous debate. I’ve never seen so many people so passionate about an election they know so little about. I’m still deciding on whom to vote for, but all I can hope for is that the rest of our country takes the time to educate themselves on their candidates. It may be an impossible wish, but I hope no race, gender, or human has to experience the discrimination or slanders that I have. This country may not be perfect but if it needs to improve then we will make it great, starting with just one vote.