Reflecting on the political events of not only the past week but the past election year brings on a swirl of emotions for many. As a first time voter, I can honestly say that the 2016 election period is not what I expected. At the start, I was full of hope and optimism for both parties due to the number of nominees and diversity among them. I remember thinking, “Wow, my first opportunity to vote is definitely going to be one to remember,” and little did I know at the time how correct I was. As time went on, nominees became fewer, the tension became higher and I became nervous at the decision to be made.
I am an 18-year old young woman in college that was surprised by the results of Tuesday’s election.
I want to clarify that neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump fit the exact mold of president that I imagined. I do know, however, that I had to make the decision to vote for, in my eyes, the lesser of two “evils”, so to speak. I woke up yesterday convinced that the candidate of my choice would not become the 45th President of the United States, and I was wrong.
To say that I was surprised to realize that Donald Trump is our next president is an understatement. I was convinced that the minds of our country’s people had been too heavily impacted by the media, the celebrities that many of us today look up to, and the “trendy” aspect of Hillary Clinton’s campaign. I was convinced that as a country we would struggle to make a choice on our own and would be swayed by the popular as opposed to making our choice as individuals. I think that I am more thrilled about the “trendy” not swaying the majority than I am about anything else that this election has shown.
As far as my reaction to Donald Trump’s speech following the news of his historic win, I think that it was very well thought out and shows what we have to look forward to during his presidency. One of his main themes in his speech was unity, and after an election as dividing as this one, I think that as Americans we could all stand to unify as one people. We by no means have to agree on every political topic, but we do need to learn to be civil with not only our words, but our actions towards one another as well.
I know that many Hillary Clinton supporters are feeling heartbroken, but I think that it would do all of us good to take our passionate feelings and turn them into one voice to better America. I hope that our transition in the coming months is a peaceful one and that the presidency following it is one of success both for America and its people.