Well America, we made our decision. For some of us, it was our first time participating in the election. I, personally, was excited to vote. I used to tell everyone, "Oh politics is useless. I'll never vote. I don't care enough." Well thank goodness I changed those ideologies because I would have been a thousand times more disappointed in the outcome had I not voted.

This years election truly was a nail biter. I sat in the library with some friends until around midnight trying to do homework, but ultimately the anticipation of the electoral votes took over and we discussed those instead. We kept saying, "It'll turn around. It has to. There's no way America would do this, right?" Sadly, we were wrong, and America did do it. Not only was I disappointed in the people of the United States, I was angry. How could we elect someone who is so full of hate, and whose campaign is based off of racism and sexism? Someone that called an entire race rapists? Someone that has once said he would date his daughter if she wasn't actually his daughter? Someone who has a trial set for fraud later this month? Someone who is constantly making vulgar and derogatory terms towards women? How? The fact of the matter is, Trump was not the right choice. I acknowledge that he was nominated, but I cannot accept that he will be running this country.

America was founded by immigrants in the first place. Yes, by law, being born here makes us Americans but so does our grit and our patriotism. We all have background somewhere else, remember that. I refuse to accept the hatred towards immigrants because they're just here. This election has brought out the worst in all of us. Not just republicans, democrats and liberals are taking the streets in protest, shouting obscenities at Trump supporters, and burning the American flag — which is never OK and no one should condone this. My friend, who is Mexican, walked into a gas station Wednesday afternoon and the man working there yelled at her to get out and said, "Get ready for things to change girl, there's a new president." Then smiled at her. . . disgusting. There have already been so many hate crimes, and he was elected Tuesday. Newsflash, he's not president yet, and I'll be damned if I have to watch any of my friends get treated differently because of their ethnicity, religion, race, whatever. It's hard to understand why people think they're better than others just because of their skin color. When you think about it, no one's really racist against white people, it's just one sided. It baffles me that again, there is so much hatred being spread. I've often asked myself, "Why can't we just all hold hands and live in peace with one another?" Well, it's because of the way we view others. If everyone stopped viewing others as people of lesser importance or value — or as stupid, dumb, racist, and bigots — then maybe, just maybe, we actually could all get along and move forward in society, rather than the hatred that will set us back decades.

But it's also not just about race. If anything, this election has proven that no matter how qualified you are, if you're a woman you're not going to get the job. There's always going to be roadblocks for us, and it's sad. We've made it this far and we still are not even close to where we want, and need, to be. We are still seen as objects and are not equal to the greatness that is testosterone. I don't want to have my daughter grow up in a world where there is still inequality in the workplace, nor in general. I don't want to be walking down the street and be catcalled anymore. I don't want people to think I'm ignorant or uneducated because I did not, nor do I, support Trump. The animosity needs to be expelled in order for America to survive these next four years. If we can all ban together and support each other, and hope that Trump will not let us down as president, then we can get through it. Please, stop the violence. It's only going to get worse from here on out if it continues, and nobody wants to live in a world like that.