Within the current political climate, with the President, Congress, and the judiciary making a variety of changes, which issues do college students need to worry about? And is there anything we can do about them? The country is more polarized than ever, with few ideological options outside of identifying as red or blue. Lines are being drawn, with those who choose the “wrong” side being hated by their counterparts.
One of the big issues affecting college students is the rising cost of education, with student loans not increasing enough to keep up with surging tuition costs. President Trump has taken steps to begin dismantling the Department of Education, which is an organization that assists with funding and improvements of the education system.
Another issue is civil rights and equity, which is a broad field. This includes the deportation of immigrants throughout the country, the removal of protection for the LGBTQ+ community, specifically transgender persons, and the termination of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs throughout the country.
Gun control is a rather prominent issue, with multiple school shootings taking place every day, ending the lives of students of all ages and backgrounds, none of them expecting for themselves or their friends to not make it back home after what seemed like a normal day. The President and his cabinet have emphasized their desire to protect the Second Amendment, justifying deaths in order for just about everyone to carry a gun. Yet, while the right to “protect” ourselves is allowed, it leaves many unprotected and in fear for their lives. Is it a natural right if it infringes on the rights of others?
Almost every issue is affecting college students, whether it be their rights, their finances, or their mental health. These issues especially have an effect on mental health. How are we to go on with our days knowing that there is a chance of a school shooting? Or that our family members will be ripped from the country and sent to a place they’ve never been before? Or that our own rights, that were laid out by the founders of our nation, could be ripped away in an instant?
The truth of the matter is that we don’t know. Policies are constantly changing, different people are being placed in office, prices are rising, and people are dying, or even being murdered, as polarization continues to swell in the U.S. Research shows that this polarization leads to people considering it OK to harm other parties to achieve their political goals, believing that other parties with different opinions are a threat to the nation. What could we possibly do about this?
Well, for one, we could stay informed. There is a lot of information out there, much of it biased. I would encourage you to not only read news based on your own viewpoints, but also those that you don’t agree with. It is important to know what others are thinking to truly understand the conflict in our world and to gain perspective on what you believe. There is also such a thing as being too informed, as too much time spent absorbing negative content can increase feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Make sure that you know your limits and respect them.
The second thing we could do is pray. In such dark times, it is necessary to draw closer to God and pray for His protection and grace as we are so obviously drawing nearer to His second coming. We want to make sure that we are all ready when He comes back to take us home, and stay hopeful and have faith that he is coming soon to wipe away all sin and darkness.
The last thing we could do is stay kind. In a world filled with so much hate, it is easy to join in and lose sight of the greatest command God has given us, which is to love.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.