I was about eleven years old when Barack Obama was inaugurated into the American presidency. Eight years later I have mere days left before the political climate that I have grown used to is completely upended. I believe that I was very fortunate to develop my political opinions under such a radical and controversial president. I still haven't entirely decided how I feel about his entire eight years simply because I know that it will take time to see what becomes of his policies after he leaves office.

Yet I still think it is imperative that I take the time to really thank a man who will remain a shining example of what a president should be in my mind. President Obama truly showed me the power of political action but also the importance of being able to question the most famous American public servant. I am lucky to have watched the passing of the Affordable Care Act as well as the Supreme Court decision to legalize gay marriage nationwide and I believe that I now have only the highest standard for the executive office.

But it isn't fair to only acknowledge the actions that I felt justified. Obama was not a perfect president by any means. I especially didn't always agree with his foreign policies or wartime actions (or lack thereof).

However, I never felt wrong criticizing his decisions. If anything this was the man who inspired my political interest in new ways as I truly wanted to understand the actions that my country took under him and why. Never was there an action taken or decision made by President Obama that was not met with an incredible conservative outcry and often a bipartisan outcry. Yet he truly exemplified the most important trait of good politicians: perseverance. For eight years he worked for the things that he truly believed would make this country a better place for all.

Whether his policies really were the best thing for America remains to be seen. You don't have to like everything that Obama did but it's important to realize that he shattered stereotypes and achieved goals that other administrations wouldn't have even thought about. He was and is a president that I am proud to have in my history. I'm even more proud of the strides and steps that he made for America.

I cannot claim to know what a Trump presidency will be nor will I, but I'm happy that I had the distinctive privilege to grow up watching my president fight for marriage equality, women's rights, immigration and healthcare reform and the overall betterment of a country that now has close to no unemployment. So thank you for your service, thank you for being a model president, and thank you for showing me the importance of never giving up on the political system. Thanks Obama.