On Friday, January 20, 2017, the lovely United States of America inaugurated a new president. And, for the first time in my life, I did not watch the inauguration.

For one, I sort of blocked out in my mind that the inauguration was, in fact, happening. I was not a fan of Mr. Trump from the start of the election cycle. So, I had no reason to watch the inauguration.

Second of all, I had a class that morning. I was much more preoccupied with getting to class on time than watching the inauguration. I did not remember, until I walked into the School of Journalism, that the inauguration was still going on. I saw people crowded around the giant televisions on the first floor. I stopped for two seconds then I continued on to my English class. I figured I didn't want to subject myself to watching the inauguration before class since it either lead to tears or projectile vomiting. Therefore, I didn't believe that was a good idea before my class.

So, I went to English and Spanish and that entire day just didn't feel real. Every time I encountered a news story or went on social media, it revolved around Trump's inauguration. As I mentioned before, this was the first time in my life that I did not watch the inauguration. This was also the first presidential election I voted in so excuse me if I wasn't eager to see Trump be inaugurated. That made it seem too real. From the beginning, his whole campaign seemed like a joke. It was all just a bad meme to me. But the more support he gained, the less funny it became. After he won the election, I was just scared and sad and mad at that the America I thought I knew, the America I thought I lived in, didn't exist.

Now, Trump is the President of the United States. It is real. This is the reality for at least the next four years. And, while I am terrified, there is hope. I saw it in the lack of people that attended the inauguration. I saw that same hope in the eyes and hearts of those that marched and took to the streets in support of women's rights.

I still can't actually believe this is our reality. This is the new America. This is Trump's America. But I hope this means there will be fewer people who just accept this new reality and more people that realize what we've gotten ourselves into and that we should stand up and fight back. Fight back, not with violence, but with words and marches and protests and social media campaigns. Change is affected not with violence, but with peace, love and unity. As many people, including Trump himself, have said, America is divided. And it will continue to be. So, keep protesting, because one side will never understand the other, do not bow down to the new Commander-in-Chief just because people claim you have to accept and respect him. He's not my president and he doesn't have to be yours either.