Students react to a Trump presidency

‘I woke up today with a real concern for my rights’

College campuses around the nation revolted last night as Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. Regardless of who they voted for, students are shocked by his victory. The election ran into early Wednesday morning, leaving students around campus emotionally and physically drained.

Trump has attacked many different groups of people including women, foreigners and members of the LGBTQ+ community, who are all  shocked and a bit confused on what this presidency could mean for them.

Female students

“I think it was pretty crazy and it was my first election so that made it even more memorable but I’m really shocked because I mean I guess I’m on a college campus so that kinda creates some bias but from everybody I heard they were really confused how this could happen. But like obviously he had a big supporting if he did so well. So I’m just really shocked. I don’t know how this is going to effect me but I guess it depends on how he continues funding education. And as a woman like how he deals with things like Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood. But I definitely think he’s going to have a big impact on the life of a lot of college students.” Rayma Vemulapalli (SAR ’20)

“I felt unsure when I woke up this morning but I also feel like no matter who it was going to be, I feel like I have faith in our country and our system that even though he has crazy ideals he won’t be able to implement all of them because I checks and balances is something that actually works. He’s pretty radical but I think both were radical and I think that anytime you have an election where people get so passinonate, you’re gonna have happiness and unhappiness and I fall somewhere in the middle.” Stephanie Conyack (SMG ’17)

“I think this was really unexpected but this is what were dealt now and I think that instead of harping on how it happened I think we’re just gonna have to figure out how we’re gonna make it work. We just have to keep continuing on with what we’re doing.”Justine White (SMG ’17)

“Last night was so bad. I stayed up all night and I kept thinking it was gonna change. I’m just so mad at the world. The first thing that I saw when I woke up was an email from my social science professor telling me what countries I could move to. I emailed my social science professor last night because I was like what is happening because when he taught us about the holocaust he said ‘the only way history could repeat itself is if Donald Trump is elected’, and this is just the scariest thing ever.” Paulina Barnes (CGS ’19)

“I’m surprised actually, like I didn’t think that was gonna happen. I’m just confused because people that Trump talks badly of voted for him. I didn’t get to vote but my county in North Carolina voted for Hillary so I still feel okay about that but I feel shameful because I have family members and friends voted for Trump.” Carson Abernathy (SMG ’19)

“I am ashamed because I woke up yesterday really excited and really proud to be a woman and have a woman president. But I was extremly dissapointed and let down that that was not how things worked out.” Bella Ziobro (CAS ’19)

“So for me I’m independent so I went into this election very open and made a commitment to be really educated I voted for Clinton because even though I disagree with some policies, this election was more for the Supreme Court than anything for me. When trump won last night I felt numb and went to bed thinking that even though I thought this could happen, that it wouldn’t. When I woke up I kept trying to study and do things and I felt like I was mourning a death. I have randomly started crying a few times today purely for the hatred that was exposed in our country.” Jessie Rubinstein (CAS/SMG ’18)

LGBTQ students

“I feel safer staying anonymous because its kind of an uncertain time to be publicly out. Im extremely prideful of my sexuality, but with the way things stand right now I don’t know if it would be a great idea to have my opinions as a gay man published. Im not saying I fear for my safety or anything of those sorts, that’d be a bit dramatic. But I’ll be applying to jobs and grad schools in the near future. With the way Trump/Pence have oriented themselves, it’s likely that employers/institutions will be able to deny applicants based upon their sexual orientation in the near future. I do want to add though that I’m still hopeful and realistically optimistic. There are battles to be fought in the near future, but for the time being we can keep our heads up looking forward to the future.” Anonymous 

“I mainly feel disappointed and hurt that what Donald trump stands for is what so many Americans support, I woke up today with a real concern for my rights as a gay woman and I know many other women, minorities, lbgtq, and Muslims woke up feeling the same fear that I did with the uncertain future of our rights. It’s scary that we might have to fight the same battles that we were lucky to have the generations before us fight.” Erika Treske (SRG ’19)

“I woke up full of dread. I am so terrified. I’m shocked by how much hatred there is in America. I’m white and I’m scared, which is saying something considering the obscene amount of privilege that comes with being white in this country- I can’t express how horrible I feel for what other minorities are going through. I am ashamed that we let this happen. As a woman and a member of the LGBTQIA community I’m horribly sad, and I feel extremely unsafe. I do not know what we’re supposed to do now other than wait and have hope, and fight to keep our rights.” Gemma Jukinsmith (SAR ’18)

Foreign students

“As an international student I can’t help but feel heavy and emotional as I watch this happen to my peers. They are visibly distraught and I am helpless. I also fear for my safety in this country because with new immigration policies I may be forced to leave.” Christie Molloy (CFA ’18)

“I think people are overexaggerating the effects of Donald Trump becoming president, and instead they should maybe appreciate more that they have the privilege to democratically elect a leader of their country – an opportunity that many people in the world still do not have.” Bobesh Silhavey (SMG ’19)

Male students

“It’s dissapointing. My biggest concern is for national security. I don’t agree with anything that Trump said about the economy but I think that where he is most dangerous and what is most troublesome is his irratic behavior which could cause national security issues. I was a little bummed out waking up this morning. It’s like when you’re favorite team loses the Super Bowl or something like you’ve been rooting for them for a while and then you feel bummed out it didn’t work out the way you wanted. I’m also a little dissapointed in the way the voting system works out because Hillary won the popular vote but that’s not how we vote. Also I think it’s no coincidence that Donald Trump won in counties where less than 10% of people had a bachelors degree, so I think that there is a big education issue in America and we’re not as smart as people make us out to be.” David Monti (SMG ’17)

“The aspect of the results that were most disconcerting to me was more of the fact that half of the nation could morally justify associating themselves with racist and malevolent ideals than the fact Trump as a candidate was elected. It was a harrowing wake up call that I live in a bubble, and am not exposed to the apparently large amount of hatred that is prevalent in the United States still today” Shane Staudle (SMG ’18)

Trump supporters

“I am a Trump supporter, not die hard, but I voted for him nonetheless. As for my reaction to the election results, I knew it would be very difficult for the Republican nominee to win the general election, but for some reason, I had this gut feeling that Trump would win. Trump’s populist campaign proved universal enough that Wisconsin and Michigan voted Republican for the first time since 1984 and 1988, respectively. Overall, I am extremely excited to see what happens in the next two years specifically, because Republicans will have a united government for the first time since the 1920s.” Cooper Salmon (SMG ’20)

“I was happy and felt pretty good shocked but good. That it’s not going to nearly be as bad as people think it is..people wanted change. He wouldn’t have won if that wasn’t the case. He is going to surround himself with a good team of people which will help him along the way.” Austin Orlando (COM ’18)

“I don’t think the results one way or another is gonna have a catastrophic difference due to the system of checks and balances. Yes I understand that the Republicans do have the house and senate but I trust that all these people in office are educated individuals who want what’s best for America. Sure Trump isn’t polished and he’s not gonna be the most graceful president we’ll ever have but I do think that some of his economic policies will help people in poverty turn their life around. I did vote for Trump but whether it’s Trump, Obama, Bernie, Hillary or whoever it may have been, I’m going to lead my life like I do each and every day, wake up and be thankful for what I have, try to be a blessing to those around me and just offer encouragment.” Ken Mackin (SMG ’19)

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