It’s 2020 — and we know what that means — it’s election season!

Whether or not you’re typically a person who cares about politics and elections, the time has come for you to care, and here’s why:

Nearly everything politicians do affects you. Undoubtedly, there is some way in which politics ties into and influences some aspect of your life, or something you care about.

Too often I hear people my age proudly exclaim that they don’t care about politics, don’t vote, etc. I think we’re slowly moving away from this, but we’re still not doing enough to be civically engaged as a generation. In my view, it is essential for us to get educated on the issues facing our country and our world- and to get involved and make our voices heard on these issues. With this, I think it’s time to change the culture surrounding political involvement and civic engagement, especially in younger generations. The truth is, if you don’t make your voice heard and contribute to the public debate on the issues you care about, or contribute to the various decisions being made, they will be decided for you. Already, the influence of money and special interests in politics is overwhelming, and it’s easy to let that make you and your voice feel insignificant— but that’s a whole other discussion. The bottom line is that democracy works if the people participate in it, so it’s time for everyone to participate.

Just this past week, the news has been flooded with various critical world issues, from rising tensions with Iran to the Australian wildfires, which have been among the most severe ever recorded. The bottom line is that issues at stake are plenty — from climate change and international relations to gun safety, healthcare and more. Whatever you think about these issues, it’s important for you to educate yourself, and to care.

I truly believe that if we all spend just a little more energy on educating ourselves about the issues which affect us and our world, being active citizens, holding our government accountable, and voting, we will be on our way to a better world, and a brighter future.

If you’re a college student like me, I have some good news for you: you have a good amount of free services and subscriptions you may not know about available to you, making it even easier for you to be educated and aware! Among these are New York Times and Wall Street Journal subscriptions, as well as a discounted subscription to the Washington Post (I would suggest doing some research to see what your school offers specifically). This also means you have even less of a reason to remain uneducated. I have also included a voter registration link at the bottom of this post, just to make it that much easier for you. You’re welcome. Now all you have to do is actually show up and VOTE (in an educated, informed way)!

Link to register to vote: https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote