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Drexel students react to the presidential election | The Triangle
Opinion

Drexel students react to the presidential election

Nov. 15, 2024
Photo by Kasey Shamis | The Triangle

The pivotal 2024 Presidential Election this past Tuesday, Nov. 5, warranted a wide range of reactions across the nation, especially among college students. Drexel University’s Undergraduate Student Government Association successfully advocated for the cancellation of classes on Election Day, giving students the opportunity to cast their votes and travel home if necessary. Pennsylvania, with its 19 electoral votes, stands as a swing state with much pull on the overall outcome, which was felt throughout the atmosphere on campus. 

To gain insight into the campus climate during this election season, I spoke with several Drexel students to hear their perspectives on the election’s outcome and learn about the impact the results may have on their future. The conversation included second-year biology major Mariam Stewart, third-year public health major Jasmine Harris, first-year biology major Jae Walsh and first-year English major Morgan Hammond.

Interviews were edited for length and clarity.

NI: How has the outcome of the 2024 presidential election affected your mental or emotional well-being?

Stewart: Honestly I was kind of numb to the whole thing. I was disappointed but not surprised. America’s identity is in a really weird battle between being the “land of freedom and opportunity for all” and returning to the former glory of the “good old days.” My way of coping has been to continue on like before. I did my part by voting, so stressing about a future I can’t control is only going to cause unnecessary harm. 

Harris: Me and everyone I know have collectively been feeling down because of the results, but I’ve been surrounding myself with good friends to take my mind off it.

Walsh: The outcome was extremely disappointing to me, but not shocking. Reading the results when I woke up hurt, and I felt pretty depressed for the rest of the day. I feel a lot of concern for marginalized communities in America that are still facing threats to their safety and well-being. I know there is nothing I can do to change the results so the only thing I can do is move on emotionally and continue to fight for the issues I care about.

Hammond: I think my emotional well-being has been affected by the outcome. I am scared for what will happen to the rights of women, LGBTQ+ and people of color in our country. The prejudice, and ignorant comments I’ve heard recently has made me more scared as well, and that has been impacting my mental health.

NI: Have you found it challenging to focus on academics or daily routines due to election-related stress?

Stewart: If anything, I think it has made me more determined to excel and take advantage of the privileges and stability I have now. There’s this constant feeling of uncertainty that looms over everything and it feels like things are about to get chaotic. I don’t want to be in a situation where I am stuck with no way to advocate for myself, so I’m trying to prepare now. 

Harris: Definitely, election night was an anxious time, and I kept refreshing the election map to see any updates. I submitted an assignment late because of it.

Walsh: The first few days were certainly very difficult. I found it hard to stay on track with my assignments. I was continuously falling into rabbit holes scrolling on social media and watching the news. I care a lot about American politics and staying up to date on current events, so being able to go back to it feels like a step in the right direction.

Hammond: Throughout the week, I’ve found it challenging to focus on activities in my daily routine. It’s difficult to keep my attention on schoolwork, my job, and extracurriculars because of election-related stress. Social media and the hateful messages posted after the voting results, especially directed towards marginalized communities, has also made it more difficult to focus. 

NI: Do you think the 2024 presidential campaign addressed concerns relevant to young people and college students?

Stewart: I think the campaigns addressed enough issues that are relevant to young people but I do n’t necessarily agree with the way certain things were addressed on both sides. I hate that we didn’t have a candidate who wanted to end the conflict in Palestine. There was a lot of talk about the economy, inflation, abortion and immigration which was good, but some of the discussions seemed unproductive.

Walsh: The most important issues for me are climate change and environmental policy, supporting a free Palestine, equitable healthcare for all, racial justice and LGBTQ+ rights. We are all impacted by a great deal of issues, but these seem the most pressing to me. Nobody deserves to suffer for who they were born as, and we all deserve a secure future for our planet. The issue of abortion also continues to be a big one and people around the country are dying due to lack of access to reproductive healthcare. Everyone deserves to choose the path that is best for them and their family.

NI: What personally impacted you/what was the most important issue for you?

Stewart: There are many issues that I care about. The conflict in Palestine, inflation, abortion rights, gun laws, etc. It’s disheartening to know that the people in power are in complete disagreement with my beliefs because they prioritize the lives of those with power and money over the lives of the average American people. It also feels like many aspects of my identity could bring me more disadvantages that my family has fought so hard to protect me from. It made my family and I consider leaving the US. We’re proud of our culture and history but the uphill battle doesn’t seem worth it anymore.

Harris: I think my right as a woman has been impacted, and the issue of the Muslim ban is a critical topic. As well as climate change, specifically the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is very concerning. 

Walsh: We want healthcare, we want student loan forgiveness, we want a secure job market that doesn’t give our jobs to AI, we want to be able to purchase homes and care for children without financial hardship, we want strong unions and labor rights, we want to feel safe and protected by our government, we want choice, we want to see an end to wars, and we want climate action, and neither candidate gave us much in terms of those key issues. 

Hammond: An issue that really matters to me is abortion rights and women’s bodily autonomy. Having the right to choose what we do with our bodies is important to me as a woman, and something I believe should not be dictated by the government or men. 

The diverse reactions from Drexel students emphasize the importance of the 2024 Presidential Election, and its role in sparking important conversations about political topics. College students are directly impacted by current events and these reactions highlight the crucial role young people play in driving societal change and fighting for representation in political discourse.