Hillary? Trump? Neither?
Diving head first into controversial conversations is a strong passion of mine. However, many Americans demonstrate the need to latch onto political apathy at imperative moments. As a college student I am constantly told that the college atmosphere heavily strays away from “correctly” understanding not only politics, but the identity of the country itself. Yes, most college students are figuring out who they are through these four years. Some will even need the extension of an additional three or more years of graduate school to further mold their identity. Although, what is to say that college students do not formulate some of the most important voices?
Well, in a way, the people who have looked down upon college students are not wrong. College students are not as involved in politics; at least not as much as society needs them to be. It is a shame to see many influential minds stray away from a power directly given by the Constitution. It is a person’s natural and basic right to be able to vote. To be able to assemble. To have a voice. Unfortunately, most college students do not take advantage of this power furthermore grouping us as the generation who could actually not care less.
Yes, it would be great to have students rally in major cities to the countryside to voice either the support for Clinton and the hatred for Trump. Or vice versa. Or even better, to have students voice the dislike of both candidates. At this point, it does not matter what side you take, but a side must be taken. A physics, math, theater, business, music, political science, and any other major not listed are directly impacted by the actions of society and the government. Do not fall victim to the media’s claims of a candidate’s platform. Be informed. Take the time to research both candidates even if you are a registered Republican, Democrat or Independent voter. You would be surprised to see how much you agree or disagree with a candidate—even if they are a racist, crooked, bigot, or a liar.
As overused and cheesy as it sounds, our generation is the future. Everything we have learned this far, as well as adding our parents and their parents’ decisions into the mix, fall onto our hands. You do not need to get involved in every political event, but stay well informed. We often rely too much on the media, and less on the actual facts. We are all guilty of being misinformed as a direct result of the latest scandal. Even if we are college students, whether we are starting this fall, or are graduating, we are responsible for our society. Whether society likes it or not, we do have a strong voice and impact. So you’re not into politics? Well maybe it is time to start thinking it should be less of a want, but rather more of a need. Our future sure depends on it.
