From legalization of marijuana in Ohio to LGBTQ equality in Texas, yesterday’s nationwide election day covered all the bases of controversial aspects for voters. Now that I am categorized as a legal adult who can vote in elections, it is easy for me to make a difference in the country and sympathize with other voters, including my mother.

Days that involved voting on politics, either nationally or in my hometown, my mother would not let her political ideals be unknown. Though not necessarily forced upon me, but rather subtly expressed in everyday life were the very liberal views of a woman with a grand intellect.

This upbringing formed the similar liberal views I have. To further my views, growing up as an individual who identifies as gay gave me the inclination to be on the side who fights for my rights, which tends to lean more toward the left.

When under the age of 18, it was difficult to not be able to have a say in the voting process for the political views I believe in. Now that I am able to vote, it has become a lot easier for me to understand that I can make a difference, however small it may be.

Even one vote can make a difference, so that is why I believe everyone should vote and take a stand for what they believe in. I know plenty of people who don’t vote because they believe it won’t make a difference. But if those people choose to vote, it will add up and end up changing something.

This is why elections days matter, even if they are just statewide. Ultimately, the elections happening in each state are important, and they are a prelude to the presidential elections coming up a year from now.

The major presidential election is still a year away and it seems the candidates are already advertising themselves as much as possible. I know I am looking forward to the election because it will be the first I will be able to participate in. I can now start to make an even larger difference in this country.

However, it seems very tedious and time-consuming that the candidates for both sides are already trying to impress the public at an alarming rate. Debates are being held, pro-candidate commercials are being made, and the presidential race is in full swing.

With a year to go, it doesn’t make sense to me that the public should be forming a decision on which they will vote for matter-of-factly. The presidential campaigns are fighting against each other for a reason. They want to both keep their supporters and gain more of a following along the way.

With that in mind, making a final decision now is obscene. I believe one must think about the topic for a large amount of time and examine every aspect of each candidate’s campaign to make an informed decision on the person they want to be our next president.

But that seems to be asking a lot of the general public of the U.S., since a good amount of people will vote for whomever is the most appealing in a way they won’t have to overtly think about. For example, Donald Trump seems to be a likely candidate only because of the way he speaks to the people.

It seems to me that Trump says whatever comes to his mind and hopes for the best, as he does not filter his mouth diarrhea. In this way, the people listen to his ignorant and backwards ways of conservatism.

What it really comes down to is that the population needs to educate themselves more on the candidates rather than picking the one that looks the best just because they wear the color blue. If there is one thing my mother taught me through the many years of her being a liberal it is that she always thought long and hard about why she was voting for the candidate she chose.

In the end, being 18 and being able to vote is a gift for some and an insult to many. As a gift for myself, I am able to make an educated decision on what needs to happen to this country. However, an insult is given to the citizens by the youth who vote based on the color of the candidate’s eyes.