I am no longer sad. I am fearful, but I am no longer mournful. I am angry. I participated in my first election in which I could vote, and I was disappointed. First, in that my candidate did not make it past the primaries. A candidate I believed in and wanted to win so desperately. I, like many, faced a decision once he was eliminated from the race. I ultimately decided to vote for my platform instead of for the candidate, and cast my vote accordingly.

With this being said, now is the time to fight. Now is the time to look to our counterparts and demand better. It's time to expect better of our politicians and not stand for anything less than perfect. It's time to hold steadfast in our opinions, and not to take anything less than what we want. It's time to stand up for ourselves in the ways in which our ancestors have. I never thought I would have to worry about being a woman, because as a young girl I assumed the world was good. As we have seen through the span of two years, the respect of women has continued to decline. It's easy to feel hopeless. It's easy to feel as if you're stuck hoping for better, but can't do anything about it.

But there is.

You can fight.

Today, I ordered a Bernie Sanders sticker. It will go on my laptop case, and will serve as a constant reminder of the revolution that we must continue to push for - regardless of who is in the Oval Office. I will continue to fight for all minorities and those who have been taken advantage of, as well as those whom the government has cast aside. I will continue to fight for what I know is right, instead of settling for what is handed to us. If Bernie taught me anything as a young, millennial voter, it's that change can be achieved but that we don't need him to do it. He has faith in the young people of the United States, and wanted us to know that the motion towards a better world and life start with us.

I never thought I would support a candidate like Bernie. After being called a hippie by some and being told I supported communist propaganda by others, I realized that any time there is a deviation from something that seems to be set in stone many get uncomfortable. Having had a tumultuous collegiate career, fighting for my school and winning a battle regarding the future of women's higher education, I am ready to fight for our country to be more accepting and beneficial for those that live inside of it. We have to do what is best for our people, whether or not they fit the same mold as us.

Election night we mourned, and now we rise. We will overcome this, and we will come out stronger because of it. We are a changing nation, but we can at least put our hearts and souls into making it a change we can be proud of.