WSU Students and the Political Climate

By Moises R. Cotto

Many students at Worcester State University have been talking about their fear of what will follow when one of these two highly controversial presidential candidates wins the election. A sense of doubt and even dread permeates conversations about politics on campus as more and more students express their concerns about the future of our country.

Molly Andes, a 19-year-old English major from Worcester, MA, is going to be voting for the first time. She acknowledges the magnitude of this privilege, but she still has her reservations.

“I definitely feel that my motivation to vote is based in fear of an alternative candidate,” Andes said. “I was very passionate about Bernie Sanders and he is an example of someone I would vote for out of faith. I am pretty sure that I will be voting for Hillary so that Donald Trump does not become the commander in chief.”

Lauren Willand, 20, from Douglas, MA is an occupational therapy major who says that she is “voting solely because of [her] fear of both candidates.”

“This year I am voting third party because the two party system we have now is corrupt,” Willand said. “Voting third party — for me, at least — draws attention to the fact that we need change, and the two candidates for the Democratic and Republican parties do not live up to our standards.”

But even as some students turn to third party candidates, others feel frustrated by the history of the Democratic and Republican parties being the only “mainstream” options for American citizens, a dynamic they say makes their votes seem insignificant.

“I mean, I do understand that this is a democracy and every vote counts, but it’s very minimal and it’s not as much as I would like,” says Kayla George, an 18-year-old history major from West Boylston, MA.

George’s frustration with the presidential candidates of both major political parties has led her to focus more on their running mates as she makes up her mind.  

“I’ve been paying more attention to the vice presidential candidates, because no matter how irrational these two presidential candidates can become, all of their decisions have to go through Congress, and the Vice Presidents are the President’s right hand men” George said. “I honestly think the Vice Presidents are our saving graces from these morons, but they aren’t proving to be much better either. In short, I’m terrified.”