This coming up election in November has left so many people in between a rock and a hard place, to the point where many Americans are deciding that it would just be better if they didn’t vote, that their vote doesn’t matter, or that the two candidates both are "unfit." But these Americans forget the power that a vote has. They forget that it is our right and responsibility as an American citizen to do so.

We live in a democracy, which is a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting, so it is "we the people"'s responsibility to elect our political officials, even when we feel like our vote won’t make a difference. I learned from a very young age that it only takes one person to change the world. Now, that sounds pretty cheesy, but we actually get to see this on a very simple and understandable way in Disney’s "Mulan." In the beginning of the movie the Emperor states, "a single grain of rice can tip the scale. One man may be the difference between victory and defeat."

If Mulan never went into the army in place of her father, the Huns would have taken over China and would have killed the emperor. This is just like every single one of our votes. It only takes one to change the outcome of an election. Your vote matters. We need to have courage and enough belief in ourselves that our vote really does matter. We, as a nation, can’t sit around and dwell in our self-pity and doubt. We need to be active and make a choice. Your vote could be that single the grain of rice, that tips the scale of the American election.

Not only should we as citizens vote, but we should be smart and educate ourselves with the candidates stances and proposals. That means you shouldn’t just vote for a republican because you classify as a republican. You need to study and understand that candidates beliefs, values and political stances. You may find yourself agreeing more with the democrat candidate or vise versa.

Do not let a political party define you. Do not consider yourself "weak" because you agree with the opposite party then the one you’re registered as. You should research the candidates different stances on subjects from reliable sources, or maybe even from multiple sources. We, as a nation, just need to be well immersed with what each candidate is planning to do while he or she serves in public office. It’s okay to vote for different political parties, as long as you feel that the candidate you are voting for will be the best for America.

Our founding fathers gave us the right to vote because they knew what it was like not to have a say in their country’s political system. They understood how important it is to have a government run by the people and for the people. They had so much faith in us to give us that right because they knew that we would choose what is best for this nation. We were given this right to make a change, to make a difference. Let's not waste such a beautiful right that "we the people" have.