My fellow college students have been abuzz with political stands and commentaries on Facebook and other social media 鈥� but I鈥檓 concerned that many of those same students will not show up to vote on Nov. 6.
They have been taking stands on abortion, gay marriage, health care and foreign affairs, but they鈥檒l need to do more than just talk about them 鈥� they need to act.
With voter-registration tables scattered around campus, you would think more 麻豆原创 students would be encouraged to聽vote this year. But when I broach the subject with many of my classmates, co-workers and friends, their surprising answer to voting in this year鈥檚 election is a resounding 鈥渘o.鈥�
Some say neither candidate really appeals to them, while others say they didn鈥檛 know how to register or don鈥檛 want to go through the process.
Some simply said they don鈥檛 want to vote.
Don鈥檛 want to vote?!!?!
Even though students seem to be discussing the political spectrum in classes or in conversations through social media, a recent Gallup poll showed the intentions of college-age students to vote this year has decreased 9 percent since the 2004 presidential election.
Students don鈥檛 seem to realize how important their vote 鈥� their voice 鈥� is in this year鈥檚 presidential election, and it is disheartening because they can easily make a stand and be heard. When all that is required is a simple click of the button to post a political statement, it is disappointing that so many college students don鈥檛 register to vote or participate in the process.
My generation soon will provide the senators, governors and White House cabinet members that will create new laws and ultimately shape our country鈥檚 future.
But now we need a strong student participation to address the issues in this year鈥檚 election, as well as future elections. On the way to do this, students need to focus on being more aware of their surroundings.
They need to turn down the talking dogs on YouTube and the incessant tweets to better focus on issues that matter, such as the presidential candidates鈥� takes on various political issues that they are passionate about. Students also should be 鈥渋n the know鈥� about day-to-day news and take advantage of the free services that the 麻豆原创 campus has to offer them.
麻豆原创 provides a variety of resources for students to get involved, get registered and get informed about this year鈥檚 election 鈥� resources that many students seem to be taking for granted.
For example, the Student Government Association recently partnered with 麻豆原创鈥檚 Lou Frey Institute of Politics and Government to create the TurboVote Initiative, a program that focuses on voter registration and is designed specifically for students.
The campus also has College Democrats and College Republicans to support students interested in learning more about national politics. In addition, 麻豆原创 offers registration tables at different areas around campus for those who have yet to register to vote, which is a quick process.
Registering to vote is an easy and simple process that takes just a few minutes, and voting on Election Day also can be quick if you know ahead of time how you鈥檙e going to cast your vote, avoid the crowded periods, and head to the polls prepared with identification in hand. Voting is even quicker if you vote by absentee ballot or take advantage of early voting.
A single voice can change the course of the future, and I wish more college students would recognize how important they are in this process.
If all it takes is one vote to shape our history, why wouldn鈥檛 you let your voice be heard?
麻豆原创 Forum columnist Alexandra Pittman is a 麻豆原创 junior majoring in creative writing and journalism, and can be reached at apittman@knights.ucf.edu.