It's that time of the year folks! That time of the year where you have to invite your socially intolerant family members to your house and pretend everything is okay. I personally find this whole dynamic to be SUPER weird. Here I am talking to Uncle Carl who shares "Protect the 2nd Amendment" articles after a gunman stepped on my campus just a couple years ago, telling me to "be careful with those college parties." Or having to talk with your Auntie Sharon who gives you advice on "who to date" and how to"take care of yourself around boys in college" even though you vividly remember her posting a huge paragraph on Facebook grieving for Brock Turner's family after his arrest. Or having to face your long-term family friends who IMMIGRATED to this country with your family but still have the audacity to support the deportation of other immigrants. Or WORSE having to hear, "I don't like Trump, but I support him because he can lower my taxes."

But of course, your parents would absolutely murder you if you even try to denounce the views of your elders.

But of course, you're "too young" to understand the reasons why they think the way they do.

I don't know about you, but I am sick and tired of having to go through this cycle of having to dumbly nod and force a smile whenever a family member brings up a political topic that directly affects me for the sake of not offending them.

This is why this year, I encourage you to speak up during political conversations. Yes, I said it. OPEN UP THE CONVERSATION AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.

And no, I don't mean to attack or argue family members or friends. (Leave that for the comments section on social media) We must begin to initiate conversation with the goal of understanding one another and the concerns that others have that make them support the people that you denounce. Fact-check them and be prepared if they end up fact-checking you. You may even find that you've been looking at skewed or bias sources as well.

When we begin conversations like this, the end goal is often to always "prove why you're right" and to "put down the other side." As we see in today's politics, that really doesn't work.

In my personal experience, family members have always deemed me inadequate to have an opinion on these issues because of how "young I am." On my end, I have always deemed my family members inadequate to understand these issues because they're not young enough!

Social dynamics have obviously changed between generations. They stereotype young people just as much as young people stereotype them. It's a matter of creating the bridge between this gap using WORDS and CIVILITY.

I must say, I have found this extremely difficult. It is frustrating when nothing seems to connect and you just can't seem to understand their views.

However, keep in mind that every solution, every treaty, every compromise, and every peace constitution ever made had to include a civil conversation of some sort.

Heck, most of these solutions may have even started at a dinner table.