An important part of growing up is developing your own ideas and way of thinking. As college-aged adults, we are given the rare opportunity to move away from home and become our own person. Coming to New York from California not only made sure I was going to grow up but that I would also become my own person-- one of the most important individual traits being my political stance.
Growing up, I was never interested in politics. Everything I had known had been acquired through observations in my home or at school. The most important observation being that political discussion should be avoided as it led to arguments within my family. I had never made an effort to research the things being discussed or the politicians being endorsed in my household. I was a conservative by association.
Once I moved out of my small, fairly conservative, Southern California town to New York City (Queens, specifically), I had an awakening. Being in an environment where I was forced to not only defend my political stance but know what I was talking about was a sort of culture shock to me. Where I had once taken politics at their face value and nothing more, I had to now research issues and the people who backed or opposed them. Through this, I had realized two things. One, I was completely unaware of the issues going on in the United States, let alone the world, and, two, I was most definitely not a conservative.
While there is no doubt that I love my family, I have found comfort in knowing that I am my own person with my own personal set of ideologies. I have learned over the past few years that I may not agree with what my family supports and says, but listening to some of their arguments and beliefs help solidify my personal stance on political issues. I may not agree with what they say, but without the upbringing that I had, I would have never had to curiosity to look into the claims they made. They may not support my beliefs and I may not support theirs, but love in family is unconditional.
If there is emphasis on anything in terms of politics, it is that research is key. When given the opportunity to move away and challenge the beliefs instilled in you by your upbringing, thorough research is your best weapon. Listening to candidates and researching them can paint two very different pictures and it is something that is often overlooked. Plenty of people take candidate promises as they are, without looking into the claims they make.
As a millennial, I am part of the generation that is often scrutinized and hated, but if there is anything my generation has done, it has proved its resilience. We will not be silenced, we will not accept intolerance, and we will keep pushing for the politics we want. I am not ashamed to support Bernie Sanders. I am not ashamed to admit that Donald Trump is a lunatic. I am not ashamed to have played devil's advocate with my entire fundamental political foundation and to have truly found something to be passionate about. My family still loves me and I still love them, we just have to avoid political discussions at the dinner table.
