Murmurs of Nevada, Georgia, and Pennsylvania littered the hallways, classrooms, and lives of us all this past week. Taking a quick scan of any classroom revealed at least one phone displaying a map of the United States of America, the states colored blue or red. The incessant checking, chatter, and speculation kept us all on the edge of our seats. 

In fact, the week felt perpetually like Tuesday, a seemingly never-ending election. This anticipation didn’t just begin on Nov. 3, it started on Nov. 9, 2016. The day Donald Trump was declared the winner of the 2016 presidential election is one that lives in infamy for many. For some, the last four years have been normal, great even, but for others, it’s been living in a constant state of fear, of not knowing what’s to come, and oftentimes embarrassment for our great nation. The division within our country has reached an all-time high and it’s incredibly evident in our current political and social climate. With Joe Biden winning the 2020 presidential election, it’s about time we got a leader who will work to rebuild the bridge that was torn down by the country’s former hurricane of an administration. 

This year brought an onslaught of challenges, the current COVID-19 pandemic being one of the biggest. With more than 230,000 Americans dead and over 9 million cases, it is the foremost dilemma of our country, even more of our world. We are seeing the impact of the coronavirus right in front of us. Too many students have been sent home because of contact tracing, teachers are working twice as hard teaching both online and in-person, and some students got the virus themselves.

Our country saw a shutdown, a collapse of the economy, and incompetence. Our leader should be someone with compassion, a voice of reason, and the ability to trust in the science being presented to them. Not someone who lies to their people about the severity of a virus, convinces many it’s a hoax, and then receives the best care possible when he contracts it but allows over 200,000 Americans to die alone. Not to mention dissuading his supporters from wearing a mask, the most bare minimum one could do to protect others. For many, the handling of the coronavirus was their breaking point. 

For months people have been screaming at anyone 18 and older to “vote, vote, vote!” and that’s exactly what people did. The voter turnout this year was unlike any other, with Biden winning a record 75 million votes. Amidst the ongoing pandemic, there was a tremendous increase in mail-in ballots as well. The time it’s taken to count each ballot created another point of anxiety. As people used to getting results right away, this was painful for a lot of Americans. That, and the fact that the president deems it necessary to call fraud on anything that doesn’t go his way, caused a bit of an uproar. 

This election has become notorious in the implications of its outcome, with so much at stake Americans raised their voices and demanded to be heard. Young people especially are more invested in politics than ever. Our generation is truly one of kindness and a willingness to fight for what’s right. This summer saw so much pain and sorrow in the black community, there was an uprising and people took notice. Young people everywhere became part of a movement not for the betterment of themselves, but for the betterment of others and the world they live in. 

The compassion and concern extending from every community in support of the black community created an incredible sense of unity, and isn’t that what being American is all about? Unity? 

People need to care about how they’re being governed. The whole point of a democracy is to be able to have a say. People need to care about other communities, even those not of your own. The whole point of being human is to have humanity. That’s what this election is about, it’s about the integrity of our democracy and the decency of our people. 

All around the country, celebrations have exploded in light of Biden’s victory. People coming together for the first time in months to celebrate and rejoice. It’s a display of an all-encompassing sense of togetherness and a collective sigh of relief in knowing our future is bright. This is not only a win for the Biden campaign and the Democrats but one for the American people. Regardless of who you support there will be a return of dignity to our country, we will continue to progress alongside the best. Already we’ve made history. Kamala Harris is our first, not only woman, but woman of color vice president. It’s important that we take this time to thank every poll worker, ballot counter, postal worker, campaign volunteer, and voter for contributing to the continuance of a great democracy. 

As we lie in wait in this presidential limbo we must remember that change will take time. Our country is still as divided as ever and will continue to be even when Joe Biden gets inaugurated. I know for many students out there friends have been lost, family time has spiraled into nothing but debate, and hate has prevailed over love. As young people, we are the future of America. We have the opportunities to incite change and make a difference. That all begins with using your voice, taking a stand, and fighting for your cause. The losses you make along the way are inevitable and painful, but there’s always a loser in every debate. Now is the time to face the harsh realities we’ve been bombarded with and work to overcome them. 

“With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with a love of country — and a thirst for justice — let us be the nation that we know we can be,” Biden said.