I fell in love with politics and you should too

What comes to mind when you think about politics? Do you think, “Why should I care?” or “Does my vote count?”

Does it bring back dinner table memories from some dreaded family reunion where that one uncle (yes, there’s always that one uncle) won’t stop defending his stance on an issue no one even tried to challenge (because we all know there’s no convincing him otherwise)? Does your upbringing make it impossible for you to question your parents’ political beliefs or form an opinion of your own? Or is it the lack of attention devoted to politics within the schooling system?

For whatever reason, many people my age associate the word “politics” with disgust, hatred or indifference.

But despite being a 20-something millennial, I’ll say it: I love politics. I love feeling like I am a part of a much bigger process which ultimately determines – or at the very least influences – how our country functions. It’s a multi-faceted system that establishes whether or not we can better ourselves as individuals and as a society.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to vote and that every vote matters (for instance, look at Bernie and Hillary in Iowa), but ultimately, for us to care enough to vote and be involved, we have to know what’s at stake.

We as millennials have the potential to make a difference come this next election. There are over 80 million millennials living in America, but increasingly our generation fails to get politically engaged. We hear time and time again how baby boomers are skewing the polls and relentlessly influencing the numbers, but whose fault is that? Ours.

Chicago Irish Day Parade with Senate President Cullerton (D-IL)

I had the tremendous opportunity to jump into politics at the age of 12. My dad’s friend was running for office in a nearby town and needed help campaigning. Having attempted Girls Scouts in earlier years, I was excited. Who would turn away a tiny, chubby 12-year-old girl (who am I kidding, I actually looked eight at the time) at their front door?

I helped collect signatures and listened as my fellow canvasser gave a thirty second speech. Then we were off to the next house before someone could slam the door in our faces. Although we didn’t win that election, I was hooked. From then on, I helped many local candidates canvass within the Chicagoland area. In high school, I spent my summers either canvassing for local politicians for re-election or working in their government offices. 

Being involved politically doesn’t have to be a chore. Especially with this reality TV-esque election season, attending rallies, debates, or even primaries is kind of like going to a concert. I know I feel like a groupie attending Bernie events, all bling-ed out in Bernie buttons with my best friends.

Lincoln Park Bernie Fundraiser with my best friends (Chicago, IL)

And while we may all love political memes, it shouldn’t end there – though the Internet is a great starting point to learn about issues before we jump into the field.

Politics should not force us to compromise our beliefs. Instead, figuring out where we stand should should help us become more open-minded and vocal about certain issues. We should support and applaud politicians for the successes they achieve in office, but also feel comfortable calling them out for their wrongdoings. Whether we like it or not, politicians are the face of our country.