By Nadia Paschal
The election has been weighing heavy on students’ minds, and dozens showed up to see it through at BridgePSU’s election watch party.
Although the event started at 8 p.m., students started showing up at 7 p.m., as told to me by one of the executive board members of the club.
There was a buzz in the room as feelings of hope, fear and excitement swirled around. Despite Vice President Kamala Harris joining the presidential race only in July, many were optimistic and enthusiastic about her chances.
Sophia Sabatini, a senior, was not aware that this event was happening at first, but thought it was too important not to go.
“I think that when I look back on this, from my life, I think that I’ll want to know that I was there witnessing it and watching it,” Sabatini said.
This is not the first presidential election with a woman in the race, but there was a different energy surrounding it than the first time around. In 2016, when Hillary Clinton ran against President Donald Trump, we were not quite sure what to expect, nor how much this country was going to change.
Now, in 2024, many were much more optimistic that this time was going to be different.
VIEWPOINTS
With vastly different views and policies, there was practically no middle ground between Harris and Trump. One focus of this election has been the proposed Project 2025 going up against Harris’ promise to fight to keep reproductive healthcare. There was so much on the line, in terms of human rights.
“(I have) this fear that the rights I currently have could be taken away from me,” Sabatini said. “Not only taken away, but taken away from the people that I love.”
Dayton Cubillo-Dreher, also a senior, said that she was in support of Harris’ first homeowner policy. This plan’s aim was to lower housing costs within four years, by allotting $25,000 to first time house owners to assist with down payments. If put into motion, it would also include tax incentives for the construction of starter homes.
Cubillo-Dreher feels that Vice President Harris and nominee Tim Walz would look out for the middle class, and this would be really beneficial as a college student about to enter the real world.
The overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 was devastating for women all across the country, but now, many more healthcare services are being threatened. Trump has been discussing making massive cuts and changes to both Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. He also claimed that he would ban some vaccines, in an interview with NBC News on Nov 3.
Those in favor of Trump support his proposals of closing the border, immigration policies and education. They also voice their enthusiasm that he will lower gas and grocery prices.
Senior Jon Tarlen was able to voice his hopes for both sides, depending on the outcome. If Harris won, he hoped that student loan forgiveness would be implemented within the next few years. If Trump won, he would be in favor of more tariffs.
GREAT DIVIDE
A common issue that’s been prevalent because of the last few elections has been personal relationships being strained or ruined completely due to opposing political views.
Sabatini said she is able to remain unbiased and see both sides of an issue as well as respect the opposing side. However, it’s been slightly different this time.
“Everyone has values and beliefs and I feel strongly that those values and beliefs correlate with who you vote for,” Sabatini said.
Senior Dylan Greco said that some of his friends did not agree on certain subjects and they went their separate ways. Other friends of his chose not to vote at all.
“They refused to see why it’s so important to be voting, especially with this election,” Greco said.
One reason that has been given by many voters is the character of their preferred candidate.
“I think the biggest thing for me is that Kamala is kind,” Sabatini said. “I’ve never seen any kind of animosity or any kind of act-out or rage-out or anything like that. I feel like that’s something to take into account, when you are putting someone in charge of the entire country.”
Many also feel that Harris and Walz are more relatable to the average person than Trump and JD Vance.
“Kamala and Walz are just much more correct, in my opinion, and they seem much more grounded and know what they’re doing,” Cubillo-Dreher said about her vote.
AFTERMATH
I could not sleep at all the night of the election. Instead, I kept refreshing the page that showed the projected polls. Switching between that, social media, new outlets and text messages from friends, my concern grew more and more.
Even as Trump pulled further and further ahead, I still had hope. I put down my phone for a while, not expecting any more updates for the next day or so, until I saw the news at 6 a.m. Trump had won.
The only words I have for that moment, and even now, are utter shock and disbelief.
The hope and strength I had and saw from everyone over the past few months disappeared all at once. This election was not just candidate vs. candidate. It was hate vs. America. A campaign based solely on hate, fear mongering and manipulation had won.
Over the past 12 years, cruel words and nasty messages have been broadcast to every citizen in the country. It did not deter the majority from Trump, but it actually won them over. This election showed that hatred and vitriol have planted their roots deep within the nation.
I’ve been thinking about all of the girls who are too young to vote, so hopeful to have a woman finally be elected and all of the older women voting for something they have been waiting to see happen for decades. We were all so close yet so far.
It is truly heartbreaking. I hurt for myself. For my sister, my mother and my friends. My thoughts go out to men who fear for their daughters, no matter their age. To all of the men who voted for Harris, even if they did not fear their lives were going to change radically, I want to thank you. To everyone who may have voted differently in the past but went out and voted in honor of their country and their people, you are proof that it is never too late to change.
