Everyone seems to be a little shaken up after Monday night’s presidential debate between candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. The two-hour televised debate was nothing short of a train wreck between a huffin’ puffin’ freight train of snark and empty promises and The Little Engine That Could But Probably Shouldn’t, respectively. The debate was marketed like a Pay-Per-View UFC match, an appropriate parallel for how both candidates lobbed verbal gut punches at each other.

Many Americans viewing the debate were undecided about who to cast their ballot for in November. After watching what can fairly be described as an asynchronous display of projectile vomiting childish insults, half-baked policy shoving, and wrinkly finger-pointing, those desperate to pick a side found themselves more conflicted than ever.

It seems that the only thing anyone has any assurance of is that this election is hugely important for America’s future. So the question becomes, who won the debate? That much is clear as well: Twitter.

https://twitter.com/3G0NZALEZ/status/7805865492891...

https://twitter.com/keaanureeves/status/7805797106...

https://twitter.com/RickGualtieri/status/780579335...

Jokes aside, in a little over a month every eligible American will make a choice regarding how to exercise their right to vote. And to be clear, not voting is a choice. In fact, for many people it is a very intentional and popular choice this election due to the lack of confidence Americans have in our frontrunners.

This election is frustrating to say the least. Clinton and Trump definitely have their strong supporters, but a more common story I hear in my social circles and in the media is that people sincerely don’t know who to vote for. There is a growing sentiment that neither Clinton or Trump are fit to run this country and the debate on Monday only reinforced those fears among the American people.

I’ve never concerned myself with politics, but I feel a sense of urgency this election in particular to take a more active role in creating the country I feel safe and proud to call home. I’ve racked my brain trying to figure out how to use my one vote this November. It is important that I vote my conscience. But what does that actually look like?

A common idea I hear is to vote for the lesser of two evils. I’m not in love with either candidate, but one of them I truly believe will be detrimental not just to the United States but for the security of the world. In an effort to prevent one candidate from taking power, many people are settling to vote for the other even if they don’t think they’re a good fit for the job. This makes sense to me in these desperate times, but I still want to consider other options.

For instance, voting my conscience could mean voting for the candidate who most closely aligns with my morals, even if they don’t have any chance of winning. Former CIA agent Evan McMullin has a lot of Trump’s business sense with Clinton’s vision for an inclusive and equitable America. Let’s say that McMullin is clearly the best choice for the ol’ President gig, I’m not sure it is possible for him to win at this point. If my ideals match closest to his own, would voting for him be a waste if there’s no chance in him winning? Is voting for a candidate I like who can’t win better or worse than settling for a candidate who I don’t support but who has actually got a shot?

Then there are those who believe that the best choice is to not vote at all. And I don’t just mean us “entitled and selfish” millennials, I’m talking about voters who have never missed a chance to vote since they’ve been able to. If I went down this route, some would say that I have no right to complain if I am not happy with the outcome of the election. But is my disapproval any more valid just because I voted for a candidate I didn’t truly like?

In the end, everybody is just trying to do what they think is best. I don’t understand how some people could ever possibly support Candidate A or pledge their allegiance to Candidate B, but it is arrogant for me to think that my reasoning for liking or disliking a candidate is the only correct perspective. I want safety, freedom, and the opportunity to live a prosperous and fulfilling life. Each candidate is promising these things and everyone believes, more or less, that who they vote for will be able to best deliver on said promises.

Voting your conscience means doing what you think is best, whether that’s choosing the lesser of two evils or withholding your vote altogether. In an election that is so divisive, that’s really the best anyone can do. I, like many others, feel powerless like I’m punching underwater and running out of oxygen with every swing. As we all pursue our truth, however, it is important not to tear down those who are seeking theirs. I don’t know what to do, but I want to figure it out. Until then, I can distract myself from the realities of the impending election with funny political tweets.

https://twitter.com/Machinima/status/7809577247753...