Since the beginning of the century, political participation of college students has increased sharply compared to previous elections; a direct effect of the recent groundbreaking and controversial elections within recent years.
Student involvement is so strong, many are noticing the same patterns as those seen in young adults of the 1960s. With the counterculture and the social turbulence of the time, students joined causes and took a stand on issues to show their resistance and participation of the movements in the world around them. The widespread leadership by young people distinguished those movements as more effective because it bridged the gap between all ages.
One characterizing factor of this recent rising political epidemic is that not only is awareness being brought forward about the issues but action is being taken by the students for those causes. These students are not only understanding what is going on in their world, but they are actively trying to participate in it.
Social media is a new major player that allows for college students to be more politically aware as it grants easy access for them in a common platform. They are able to follow political leaders and receive information through a medium that they already use on a daily basis. This allows them to stay informed and communicate about what is happening politically.
Student involvement in activist movements has increased. These students attempt to influence a political, economic, environmental, or social change not just in their community but sometimes nationally as well. College demonstrations and protests are popular as students form movements based on what they see in the world around them; they relate the issue to themselves as they take a stand in their own atmosphere. A study conducted by UCLA that interviewed first year college students all across America found that 1 in 10 students expected to participate in a student protest while in college.
Compared to previous elections, these protests by students are on the rise. The 2008 election showed signs of student participation, but the most prevalent sighting of student participation occurred during the last presidency. Students held protests on their campuses and performed walkouts in order for their voices to be heard and to draw attention to what they had to say. These demonstrations, sometimes turned riots, only increased after Trump was elected president.
However, while college students may be partly engaged, they are not fully participating. According to USA Today, the voting rate among young adults has been historically underwhelming. Students don’t quite put their money where their mouth is, so to speak, and take their opinions to the polls. The US Census Bureau conducted a study and found that younger voters aged 18 to 24 voted less than any other age group at every presidential election since 1962.
The importance of this rise is the fact that college students have the ability to vote and educate themselves. This furthers their ability to make wise decisions for themselves and their peers politically. Because they carry a heavy influence on younger generations, this movement that they have created could carry on not only on their campuses but continue as the following students take over.
Lauren Johnson // Back Page Editor
