I walked in the room and it was lined with tables and booths and people were talking about all sorts of things I didn’t understand. Words were being thrown around that I had never heard of and college students were lined up all around the room, mostly in silence. All these little old ladies were trying to corral us all into an orderly formation to try and answer all our questions.
“I moved in August, can I still vote?”
“I’m really not sure if I registered or not.”
“I think my last name is spelled wrong?”
“Is this the polling station I’m supposed to be at?”
Repeated over and over again. I waited. For a really, really long time and all these questions that were being relayed to these women over and over again, i could tell they had been dealing with ignorant college students all day long. “Oh my… Lots of ’96 babies today.”
It was cool to stand in a room filled with kids my own age who were excited, even eager, to vote. Even if we didn’t have all the facts, we all had opinions.
I continued to wait. Almost impatiently now as the guy in front of me had spell his last name for the woman about 8 times in a row. But it was finally my turn and I was nervous my registration wasn’t right because I moved in August. Looking over the top of her cat eye reading glasses, she asked me for my name and birthday and slowly typed in the computer, only using her index fingers… Again, I waited… She helped me though and gave me my ballot and I headed to the booth.
Despite the frustrations of waiting, and painfully watching this older woman attempt to use a computer. It was worth it. My first experience voting made me feel like more of a part of this country than I ever have. Politics have never really been an interest of mine, but I felt the importance of my vote and the importance of my participation in our future.
Who I voted for doesn’t matter. But I filled in a bubble for someone who I felt would better our country and I exercised my right to vote for my President the first time. And I am so proud of all the millennials that showed up and got that “I Voted” sticker. This is the first election for us that will impact the rest of our adult lives, and I am proud to be part of it.