“I’m not sure, I don’t really have an opinion on that.”
I never thought eleven words could be so frustrating to hear, but as I grow older I find myself filling with rage every time I hear them. As a college student, I am exposed to a wide variety of people with a wide variety of opinions. As the hard-headed, passionate individual I am, I realize many people will not view the world the same way I do, which I am surprisingly comfortable with. What I am not comfortable with are the people who simply do not have an opinion at all.
The past few years have been some big ones, with the first black president, marijuana being legalized, not to mention the major strides made for the LGBTQ community. Needless to say, our world has changed immensely in the past decade and I fully expect it to further its progress in the coming years. That being said, there has never been a more important time for the people of every generation to have an opinion.
College is the perfect time to question everything and form the opinions that have always been pushed under the rug. Growing up, we have had tons of information shoved into our unmolded little brains. Whether it is from our parents or our peers, everyone seems to have different perspectives on any major event.
With this fresh dose of independence, this is finally the opportunity to abandon the biased voices we have always heard and to figure out what the hell we actually believe.
Leading up to this point, I understand why people may not have an opinion on major issues in the world. Between people's inability to have access to the outside world or simply a lack in desire to move outside their inner circle, it is easy to avoid forming an opinion altogether. Fortunately, we have stepped outside of our littles bubbles and have access to a whole world of information now.
As students, we need to take advantage of this and become informed about what is truly happening around us. With phones, computers and daily updates in classes, it is now easier than ever to stay on top of the realities of the world.
The benefits of forming an opinion on major issues are endless while the deficits are minimal. Being able to passionately understand any situation and have the knowledge to come to a personal conclusion about it is extremely important both now and in the future. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.
By "not having an opinion," you can find yourself believing anything and everything you hear, which can only lead to a heap of trouble both for you and the next person you'll probably tell it to.
So, I urge you to leave behind the ideas forced upon you, learn something new, and form your own d*mn opinion about the world.
