It's Hard Being Stuck In The Middle In Today's Politics | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

It's Hard Being Stuck In The Middle In Today's Politics

News flash, not everything you read on Twitter and Facebook is true!

674
It's Hard Being Stuck In The Middle In Today's Politics
Holly Barnett

In today's hyper-political society it can be hard to sit by and let things go. If you are anything like me and take pleasure in looking at memes and laughing at things that aren't funny on Twitter you are bound to come across the highest intellectuals in our country discussing politics.

Yeah, me too. It is hard to not get bogged down in all the nonsense. NEWS FLASH!! Everything you see on Twitter or Facebook isn't accurate. While there may be some truth it is over saturated with bias and opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love opinions. I am known to go on my political rants every now and then (OK, fine — every day). But it is hard to decipher what you actually believe and what you feel like you should believe in today's society.

Are you a Republican or Democrat? That is the one question I hear far too often. Well, look, my friends, it isn't that simple. The two parties that control (ruining) this country have created a divide that is not solving problems but furthering the divide in this country.

When it comes to everyone's favorite election, y'all know the one I am talking about? The one with Pedro and Summer in "Napoleon Dynamite" where the dark horse Pedro defeated the Summer Wheatley in an election that would change the course of human history.

JK, Trump and Hillary.

When it came to this election I, and hopefully others, noticed that no one actually wanted either of them to win. We had the choice between two candidates to run our country that most people didn't even want. That is a problem to me. In this country, you are Liberal or Conservative and if you fall in the middle people think you are just indecisive and don't understand.

Well, hello, world, I am here to tell you that you aren't. You are probably more in tune to what is going on that most. People that don't understand both sides are the people that you hear yelling in Starbucks about free healthcare. Or the dude at the frat party chanting "build that wall" even though he probably isn't registered to vote.

To be stuck in the middle is a rough road. You feel yourself leaning towards one side but you understand points of the other. You want to call yourself a "conservative" but you think gun laws are necessary. You tell people you are a Democrat but when you tell them you are pro-life they condemn you.

Why is it like this? Why, to claim these titles, do we have to support everything they stand for?

I don't have the answers to these questions yet. I am still trying to figure them out. But what I have learned is that people vote for officials and senators and representatives that they believe will support what is important to them. People will protest and talk about what is important to them. Don't diminish a person for what they choose to believe. Don't blame your friend or the girl writing political rants on Facebook.

Figure out what you stand for and stand for it.

It is OK to be in the middle and to still be figuring it out.

It is OK to educate yourself more and change your mind.

We change our minds every day! I've had four majors alright and I finally found one that I think works (I won't have a job but maybe I will marry rich). To grow is to learn. Never stop learning. Never stop believing in yourself and what you think is right, but understand others.

Use this GIF of Snoop Dogg for a little inspiration. There are better times ahead.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
two women enjoying confetti

Summer: a time (usually) free from school work and a time to relax with your friends and family. Maybe you go on a vacation or maybe you work all summer, but the time off really does help. When you're in college you become super close with so many people it's hard to think that you won't see many of them for three months. But, then you get that text saying, "Hey, clear your schedule next weekend, I'm coming up" and you begin to flip out. Here are the emotions you go through as your best friend makes her trip to your house.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Syllabus Week As Told By Kourtney Kardashian

Feeling Lost During Syllabus Week? You're Not Alone!

821
Kourtney Kardashian

Winter break is over, we're all back at our respective colleges, and the first week of classes is underway. This is a little bit how that week tends to go.

The professor starts to go over something more than the syllabus

You get homework assigned on the first day of class

There are multiple group projects on the syllabus

You learn attendance is mandatory and will be taken every class

Professor starts chatting about their personal life and what inspired them to teach this class

Participation is mandatory and you have to play "icebreaker games"

Everybody is going out because its 'syllabus week' but you're laying in bed watching Grey's Anatomy

Looking outside anytime past 8 PM every night of this week

Nobody actually has any idea what's happening this entire week

Syllabus week is over and you realize you actually have to try now...or not

Now it's time to get back into the REAL swing of things. Second semester is really here and we all have to deal with it.

panera bread

Whether you specialized in ringing people up or preparing the food, if you worked at Panera Bread it holds a special place in your heart. Here are some signs that you worked at Panera in high school.

1. You own so many pairs of khaki pants you don’t even know what to do with them

Definitely the worst part about working at Panera was the uniform and having someone cute come in. Please don’t look at me in my hat.

Keep Reading...Show less
Drake
Hypetrak

1. Nails done hair done everything did / Oh you fancy huh

You're pretty much feeling yourself. New haircut, clothes, shoes, everything. New year, new you, right? You're ready for this semester to kick off.

Keep Reading...Show less
7 Ways to Make Your Language More Transgender and Nonbinary Inclusive

With more people becoming aware of transgender and non-binary people, there have been a lot of questions circulating online and elsewhere about how to be more inclusive. Language is very important in making a space safer for trans and non-binary individuals. With language, there is an established and built-in measure of whether a place could be safe or unsafe. If the wrong language is used, the place is unsafe and shows a lack of education on trans and non-binary issues. With the right language and education, there can be more safe spaces for trans and non-binary people to exist without feeling the need to hide their identities or feel threatened for merely existing.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments