The midterm elections are coming quickly! College students, especially, check out this list of reasons you should vote!

http://collegecandy.com/2010/10/14/why-vote-5-good-reasons-to-hit-the-polls/

I just mailed in my absentee ballot today, and it felt so good to do my civic duty and make just a small difference!

My friend and I have this phrase we say when we are stressed out about something minor or decide not to do something that isn't a big deal. We say "this doesn't matter in my forever!" meaning that the decision we make and the outcome that results will not significantly impact our lives. Elections are not one of those times. We are deciding on people who can best represent us and making our voices heard on issues that will affect us for the rest of our lives. This does matter in our forever. Almost everyone complains about the way the country is run, but so few people actually take the time to make a difference. Complaining is idle; voting is active.

It is the little actions that matter. On a related tangent, I just recently planned a discussion on my campus about environmental policy and behaviors on an individual level, (more on this in another post) but the message is that everyone needs to be active on an individual level to see changes.

If you don't follow politics, it is not too late to check out the New York Times, Politico, or another news website to catch up on the important issues and races this November.

We are so fortunate to we live in an amazing country where we are free to be ourselves and pursue our dreams in ways millions of people around the world cannot even begin to experience. So, you might say, that means we are free not to choose not to vote. That's true. But if we don't use our freedoms, do we truly have them at all?

ab imo pectore,

Hannah