This presidential election may just be one of the most controversial elections yet. It seems like every family gathering or hangout with friends I attend, the question that often makes its way into the conversation is, "Are you voting this year?". No, it isn't, "Who are you voting for?" but "Are you voting?". The big question then becomes, do we or do we not vote in this year's presidential election?

The honest truth is that too many people cannot stand both candidates that choosing not to vote seems like the right answer. I'll admit I've told myself and others one too many times that I'm not voting this year, and I was set on that answer. But then I thought to myself, this is the first presidential election I'm old enough to exercise my right to vote in, am I really going to throw it away because I don't have a "favorite" candidate in the running? It seems foolish, actually.

Let's be real, whether we like it or not Trump or Clinton is going to be our president for the next four years, and I think people hesitate to accept this. Will not voting really make this situation better? For those like myself who have no idea who we would even vote for, we need to rethink the idea of not voting. A lost vote is technically a vote given to another candidate--possibly the candidate who would make a worse president. What we need to do is get educated. Educate ourselves on all aspects of each candidate. No, they both may not have the ideal characteristics a president should embody, but one has to be more tolerable than the other. Too many people jump to conclusions that they are both so horrible it's not even worth the vote. In my opinion that's stemming from a lack of political education.

Think of it this way, Trump or Clinton will be president. If you despise them both, it is still your duty as a citizen to elect a president. No, you may not want either candidate to be in office, but what it really comes down to is picking the lesser of two "evils". That may be an exaggeration, but there are people out there who feel that strongly. I implore you to educate yourself on their values and plans for the future of America, because whether we like it or not one of these two will be elected. Let's make sure it's the best possible decision of the candidates presented to us.