I will be the first one in my circle of friends to talk about the importance of voting, especially in an election this wild. When people tell me their vote doesn’t count I don’t push the subject, but I do make a point to say, “If every person who doesn’t vote because they think their vote doesn’t count, do you know how many votes that would be that do count?”

I admit that I do get a bit passionate about my right to vote and cannot actually wrap my head around the idea that eligible, able voters don’t take advantage of coloring in the quickest bubble sheet they will ever encounter. But, I remind myself that politics and voting rights aren’t as important to others. I also admit that I do not have enough experience and knowledge in political policies to understand how to navigate it all.

This article isn’t about me trying to figure out exactly how our government works, I do my research when I have questions and try to educate myself the best I can. I just want to share how this election helped me understand my values and inspired me to want to take a more active role regarding issues I feel strongly about.

The tumultuous journey this election has taken every American (and non-Americans) on has been absolutely tiresome. Despite your choice of candidate, I think we can at least all agree that we are a bit relieved the initial debates and intense propaganda will come to an end. We will have to move on after this election with whichever President we get, and go from there.

This does not mean we accept injustice and remain quiet when we feel wronged. If you have strong feelings on certain policies in place and laws being passed, then really educate yourself on the subject. Figure out exactly what you can do to share your concerns and become actively involved. I’m not saying throw around hateful words and violent threats to get your points across, and make sure you actually have a valid, well-thought argument. Violence, anger, and pure hatred get us nowhere in this country, and throughout the world. I am fearful that this is how people will react after the election comes to a close, no matter which candidate wins.

Please do not let ignorance and close-mindedness fuel more hate. We are at a clear turning point in our government and we are getting closer to realizing that we need change.

This is the second election I have been able to cast a vote in. In 2012 I was excited to be a part of the voting public, and show that I have a say in something bigger than me. I proudly was a part of voting for our first African American president for his second term. Election 2016 felt very different. I think I felt more anxious about this decision because of how conflicted I felt throughout the whole process.

I openly admit I was an avid Bernie Sanders supporter. He had clear ideas and plans for implementing his policies. I was unsure how I felt about Hilary Clinton because I absolutely want a female president and think having a woman in office would be an amazing achievement for this country. However, I wasn’t sure Hilary was the best fit for the position (mostly compared to Bernie). When Bernie did not become the Democratic candidate in the running for the presidency, I was bummed out.

I thought my choices were now a “lesser-or-two-evils” situation. I decided to follow the candidates more closely and figure out what each had to offer (and I didn’t just research the top two; I looked at every candidate who was running). I could not watch the full debates because listening to Trump would have pushed me over the edge. I definitely knew he was not the candidate I was looking for, or even the type of human being who should have been given the opportunity to make it this far in the election.

I had decided I might just write Bernie Sanders in to the ballot because of my hesitancy toward Clinton. As Election Day crept closer, I actually felt a sense of urgency. I felt something terrible was going to happen and I couldn’t exactly place it. My mom has been experiencing migraines for the past 2 days. She hasn’t had a migraine in years, until now. She admitted that this is directly related to election stress. How messed up is that?

The days leading up to November 8^th have been so mind-boggling. I don’t understand how people, especially women or men who claim they respect women, could see past the incessant, blatant bullying that Trump has exhibited. I understand his behavior goes beyond sexism and mistreatment of women, but that is a serious issue I personally feel strongly about. That is one of the issues I remain focused on in any candidate because any president who wants to set women back 100 years is no one I can support.

Imagine what our suffragette sisters would think if Trump became president? Image the humiliation our feminist leaders would feel if they saw what is happening right now?

As my anxiety increased, so did my desire to learn. I have been so active in gaining knowledge on Hilary Clinton and what she wants for our country. I have also researched the issues people have with her. I have watched interviews and debates not only to listen to her ideas, but also to observe her. Clinton’s body language, word choices, and expressions are just as important an indicator to who she is.

Upon very careful observations, I felt confident in making her my first choice. She is my choice because I feel like I can trust her to move our country forward, not because I had to vote for her out of necessity to get Trump farther away from a win. That’s how I saw it at first, but I stopped listening to people around me and what biased news platforms were publishing. I formulated my own opinion and somehow reached my inner verdict. I also learned that this will help me in future elections.

Talking with my mom, we both agreed that this election opened our eyes to how important getting involved is. I have a lot of confidence in what I believe is right and I’m tired of feeling like I can’t do anything about some of the social injustices I have witnessed. Topics like defunding Planned Parenthood, focusing on anti-abortion laws (despite the fact that my body autonomy is not a choice others have the right to make), student loan debt, gender equality, marriage equality, mental health, discrimination, violence, and our environment are highly important to me.

I want to take an active stance to make unjust issues a priority. I want to promote positive change, and I want to learn how I can get seriously involved in that change.

I always thought my vote counted, but that I would have to accept whichever choice was made at the end of the election. However, I know now that we do not have to become complacent. I know that with enough passion, hard work, research, and courage that we really can make a difference.