Class, work, meetings, bed. Repeat.
My name is Eudora Linde and I am a college senior. I’m trying to pack as much as I can into my senior year before entering the “real world” while still maintaining my grades, being a positive leader with club involvement, holding a job as a waitress and keeping some sort of social life in my final weeks at Shippensburg University.
As an area full of a younger voting generation, a college campus would seemingly be full of political activity. I think back to videos and footage that I have seen of the reaction to Vietnam here in the United States, and the majority of the crowds are college-age people.
I am finding, however, that this is not the case anymore -- at least on this campus.
As a communications/journalism major and a political science minor, I am highly interested in politics and current events. I’ve gone door-to-door for past candidates, made phone calls to my Congressmen and have attended a few rallies in Washington, DC.
I realize what a group of ordinary citizens can do if they are well-organized and have a powerful message - I’m hoping that this is not a message that is lost on my generation.
During last November’s presidential elections, Shippensburg’s campus was full of political activity. The college political clubs were holding voter registration drives in the early weeks of fall, and Shippensburg was entertaining many campaigners, including Sarah Palin and Ed Rendell (who spoke on behalf of Barack Obama). Actors Dulle Hill and Zachary Quinto even appeared on campus as part of our generation to try to encourage people to vote.
I know a local election might not hold as much glamour as a presidential election, but it’s still important to go and make an informed voting decision. Policy decisions can start on the local level and work their way up through the system, through the many voices that we as voters get to elect – those voices represent our own.
I hope something can or will happen to get people excited about these upcoming elections. An opportunity to vote is a step towards getting one’s personal political agenda accomplished, even on a smaller, less glittery election year.
