First-time voters react strongly to Trump’s win

A college campus was an interesting place to be in the late hours of November 8, 2016.

Passionate cries of relief and anger, joy and fear rang throughout dorm hallways and echoed from the quad. Rallies broke out and protests were planned. Once everyone settled in at around 3:00 A.M. and at least tried to sleep, they woke up a few hours later and gathered their thoughts.

First-time voters had the difficult task of using their first voting opportunity to decide between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as our next president. Both being two very different and very controversial candidates. We waited 18 years for this day. We waited 18 years to help determine the fate of our nation and the quality of our futures. When the results came in that Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States of America, there was a lot to say about what happened and what is yet to come.

Trump begins his speech as the newly elected president of the United States.

Most first-time voters are simply in disbelief. “I’m just shocked, that’s all. Shocked and disappointed,” says Caroline O’Leary, freshman at UMass Amherst. Her peer Gillian Binley, also a freshman at UMass Amherst, shares the same feeling. “I’m grateful that I live in a highly democratic state,” she explains, “however, being in this environment made it seem like Trump had no chance, making his victory even more shocking and disappointing.”

Some are commenting in fear as well as disbelief. “I’m just scared that we’re going to be living in a place where people may not even be able to be themselves,” says Syracuse freshman Elizabeth Salter.

Mother and daughter at a Hillary rally are pictured crying after Trump takes a lead

Others, though still surprised, took their turn to voice how ashamed Trump’s victory makes them feel. “The outcome of the election really makes me humiliated to be a white man in America,” says Syracuse freshman Justin Paura. “Trump being elected is a symbol that his behavior and all inappropriate behavior is acceptable as long as you’re a privileged white male and that’s not how I would like to be categorized.”

UMass Lowell freshman Daniel Anspach describes his feelings of discontent as well. “I feel embarrassed and disappointed that this is what slightly less than half of all voters wanted,” he explains.

Some simply feel defeated and cheated out of their first voting opportunity. “I mean what can be said?” says Max Travers, freshman at Lesley University. “The first election I ever participated in and I found out these are the sort of things we value as a nation. Disheartening doesn’t begin to cover it.”

Many first-time voters were eager to vote on their first presidential election.

While many first-time voters are disappointed, anxious, and basically any other negative adjective you can think of, many are also coming to terms with the result we cannot change. “We made our decision. Whether we wholeheartedly agree or disagree, the only way we can expect to still function as a country is to stay united,” says Mason Horodyski, a Syracuse freshman. Another Syracuse freshman, Eric Greenstein, agrees that Americans must stick together. “I absolutely hate the decision but we just kind of have to deal with it now and follow him,” Eric explains. “If we split this country any further, it will turn to chaos.”

We’ll have to see what this man can do.

This election has been a whirlwind of emotions whether they are positive or negative, and the opinions of first-time voters shine a light on what the emerging generation has to say about the future of our country. Yet no matter our views or who we support, the one thing we can all agree on is that our nation is even more divided than we imagined. The way we act in the upcoming months and years will determine how this election really affects the problems we are trying to fix and whether we can come together as one to slowly, but surely, better the lives of all Americans. Only time will tell.