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I’m sure not everyone will agree but, I think one of the greatest feelings in the world in when I’m completely alone. Whether it be at home or, as I recently experienced, in public, nothing beats having a space that you don’t have to share with anyone. Just last Friday I got to experience watching a movie in the theater with no one else in the room. I was a lone theater goer and it was glorious. It was a 10 a.m. showing of Moana and I was already bracing myself for the fact that the other movie goers would be a bunch of little kids and exhausted mothers; not the most ideal situation for someone with very limited interactions with small children. So imagine my surprise and growing excitement when the lights went down and I was still riding solo in the theater. Now I’m not a total grump, I love the communal movie watching experience as much as the next person but there is something almost magical about being alone in a place that should be full of other people. Its like you’re that kid from Home Alone. You spend almost everyday of your life surrounded by people, oftentimes loud people with no sense of personal space, then suddenly you find yourself in the quiet darkness. For the following two hours, I didn’t have to try to block out any obnoxious people behind who never grasped the concept or whispering or send death glares to the idiot teenagers in front of me who are physically incapable of detaching their hand from their phone. Likewise, I can laugh at dumb things I otherwise wouldn’t, I can lounge with no judgement and I sang along with pure abandon. For 2 majestic hours I was the only person in the world.

Dear Mr. President Elect,

Thank you. Thank you for being a symbol of hope for the people during this election, a hope for a change that so many citizens of our great country need.

As a proud female college student, I can say that I was overjoyed to cast my vote for you as my President of The United States of America on November 8th. For many, to see you in the White House was their worst nightmare, but to me, it was the only hope I saw for this country.

Hope that as a woman, I will not be oppressed, that I will not need Hillary Clinton’s aid for equal rights because I already have them. The only component to the degree of my success is the amount of work I dedicate to my goals.

Hope that the biased and dishonest media does not have the power to sway the people in what they believe. After being battered by media that was not showing me all the facts, being fair, or furthering my ability to make one of the most difficult and important choices I’ve made in my life time, I am relieved to know that a majority of the people saw through it. The people saw that the media was underestimating the intelligence of voters in America and making fools of themselves.

Hope that as a college student, you will understand the sleepless nights and sacrifices I take in order to reach my goals, that my hard work will not be spread thin or taken for granted.

Hope that as a citizen of America, you will keep our constitution intact and our freedoms alive. My freedom to make choices on my own without government interference. To remember what Ronald Reagan said during his farewell address, “We the people tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us.”

Hope that a growing baby in the womb will not be denied it’s right to life.

Hope that the working class will not be forgotten about or left behind.

Hope that all of our Veterans will be treated the way they deserve.

Hope that our country will continue to be protected by the highest ranking military in the world.

Hope that no matter our religion, our sexual orientation, gender, or race we will be protected and respected.

Hope that Washington will return to working for the people and not for themselves, money, and power.

Hope that you will be a President for everyone.

Hope that the American people will know nothing but the truth.

Hope that you will make America great again because we need you, Mr. Trump. We need you to carry out your promises and not let the hope in our hearts go to waste. We need you to pay close attention and address the problems that have risen in our country. We need you to keep our country the land of the free and home of the brave.

Thank you, Mr. Trump, for being there when our country needed you the most.

It’s obvious that this election cycle did not go as planned for Democrats.  We all have our
opinions about how this went and the future. You know how I feel about this election so I think
talking about it wastes time, and time is the most valuable thing we as Democrats have right
now.  Be sad for a couple days. Do what you need to in order to recover. I recognize the
magnitude of this and there is no one answer to fix it.  This one really hurts because a lot of
people were told this election that they don’t matter. I can only try to feel their pain in which I
can feel empathy for. I know my attempt is not the real thing. I know people are scared, I know
people are angry at a future that has never seemed more clouded by anger, hate, and division.
Remember the saying “when they go low we go high” now is the time where it is easiest
to hate those who voted for Donald and hate your fellow Americans. However, that is not what
Democrats are that is not what we know that is not what we stand for. To hate is to waste. It is
wasting energy, emotion and time. Do not spend your days hating; spend them asking yourself
how can we make sure this never happens again. Organize, so that we can get those who
represent our generation’s belief of a progressive America in office. Work and study, so that we
are the best equipped generation to take on hatred, to take on these individuals who represent the
worst in us. Volunteer, so that we can take these elections into our own hands. Vote so that our
voices are heard and our beliefs are taken into account. Finally and most importantly, never give
up. You matter, your vote matters, your opinions matter, no matter what never forget that.
Stronger Together is not just a political slogan; it is the truth. No matter what is said
remember that. No matter how alone a party makes you feel no matter the rhetoric that is said
about certain groups. The best thing that can be done is making sure they never see any political
office. Division will not help us recover anything. Remember this feeling, the instant anxiety,
remember the pit in your stomach when you heard the results came in. Use it to make sure you
never feel that again. Our response will determine how long this lasts. Change will not come
easily. We must work for it. It’ll take more work and more effort than ever before. We can do it
though, because we as a country are great and our people are good. We will overcome.

This month, I am featuring the Arabic Club on OSU Marion.  The Arabic Club is dedicated to serving awareness of the Arab world and culture, the ties into Islam, and working with the Muslim Student Association to help dispel negativity in the Arab community.  The officers for the Arabic Club are Julio Romero, club President, Ayah Said, Vice President, and Ish Shalash, Secretary.  The club is advised by one of our senior lecturers in Arabic and French, Zuheir Alidib.

One of the wonderful things that I was able to learn about the Arabic Club when I sat down with President Julio Romero was I didn’t need to be a student in the Arabic class.  If someone is interested in joining the club, Romero said that they could just come to one of the meetings and sign up.  Students don’t need to have any prerequisites to join, that the club is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about the culture and it’s open to anyone that is wanting to be a citizen of the world.

I asked Julio if there were any events or activities coming up for the Arabic Club in the near future and he said that they will be participating in the A Taste of Culture International Festival in the Spring 2017 semester.  Romero also told me that the most recent event they hosted was the Muslim Student Panel.  Romero says this panel was the club’s greatest accomplishment because it brought in students who came from Arab nations, or were even home grown American citizens.  The students answered questions that the general public may have had about the Muslim community.  Romero feels that the panel was successful and achieved its mission.

At the end of my interview with Julio, I asked him if there was anything else he would like the students to know about the Arabic Club.  He responded that if you’re interested in the club, just stop by and see what they’re about.   The club members would all like to see more members in the club and their club door is always open.  The Arabic Club meets every Tuesday in Room 290 Morrill Hall from 12:30pm-1:30pm.  You can contact either Zuheir Alidib or Julio Romero via their OSU email, which can be found through the directory.

I miss you so much. I took for granted all of the things we used to do together. When I think about all of the experiences I won’t have with you anymore…. I just… I just can’t take it.

You won’t be there for me to put my deodorant on right before going into class.

You won’t be there for me to angrily listen to ODB in my car.

You won’t be there for me to eat awkwardly, large pieces of broccoli in my car (only to be looked over at mid-hamster face with the butt end of a broccoli floret hanging out of my mouth).

You won’t be there for me to spill my morning coffee on myself.

You won’t be there for me to talk back to the NPR segments. I get really excited. Okay?

You won’t be there for me to cancel, reschedule, cancel and then reschedule the same appointment 10 times because I NEED to go to class.

You won’t be there for me to longingly look at pictures of my cat because I miss her too much when I’m at university.

You won’t be there for me to put the seat all the way back and lay down in my car. Yes, sir, I see you staring at my double chin through the window… move along. Nothing to see here. Just a sleep deprived, dumpster person and their double chin relaxing in the car.

I thought we were a “thing.” I’m sorry I used you. It shouldn’t have been all about myself. I am so sorry. I should have seen your true beauty when I had the chance.

I just can’t do these things in the science building that took your place. It just doesn’t feel right. I don’t want to shove 5-inch broccoli florets into my mouth for a portion of the student body to see. Side note: I didn’t plan. I just cut up this huge broccoli to fit in the Tupperware container that’s all. I don’t regularly cram copious amounts of broccoli into my mouth, like some kind of monster. I didn’t think it through.

I can’t bring myself to lie down and let the passing students see my proud double chin laying on the floor or some couch. That was our thing.

I guess what I’m saying is… the science building may have taken your place on campus but it will never take your place in my heart.

1. “Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend yet?”
2. “Why are you still single?”
3. “They weren’t kidding about the Freshman 15, huh?”
4. “There’s no whip cream for the pumpkin pie.”
5. “How’s school going?”
6. “Hillary Clinton…”
7. “When are you going to give your parents grandkids?”
8. “Oh just wait until you get to the real You have it so easy now!”
9. “What are you going to do after graduation?”
10. “I think I lost my Band-Aid when I was making the mashed potatoes.”
11. “Yeah you’re 21, but you can still sit with the toddlers, right?”
12. “Donald Trump…”
13. “Let’s talk about how much you owe in student loans!”
14. “Sorry you have to sit by me, yams give me gas.”
15. “Not to alarm anyone, but I think Grandma’s on fire.”

Bipartisanship, by definition, is a political situation, especially in the context of a two-party system, as is the case for countries such as the United States, in which opposing political parties find common ground through compromise.

Have we, as a country, forgotten this practice as a consequence of the election?

Have we forgotten what it means to work together?

Have we forgotten the foundation that our country was built on?

Have we forgotten why we are actually nominating a president?

I found myself asking this and more after I attended the Propel Ohio Collegiate Leadership Summit. The conference had many influential political figures from across Ohio in attendance to speak to civically involved students. This list included Senator Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Former Ohio Governor Bob Taft, House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn, State Senator Peggy Lehner, and Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley; both Democrats and Republicans.

I was nervous to attend as the election was in full swing and I had preconceived notions that democrats and republicans hate each other. I didn’t want to see them working in the same room. I’ve realized this was an irrational, benighted, and ignorant fear.

There was no tension in the air, only smiling faces and open-minds in the room around me. I felt refreshed, looking at a space full of students and political figures from all different parties, speaking to each other about their passions and what they wanted to do in the future.

They weren’t only speaking to each other, they were actually supporting each other. After I saw this I questioned why I ever had preconceived notions of hatred between political parties. It’s because the first election I’ve ever been able to play a part in has been the most unpleasant election of history. I’ve watched friends lose friends, I’ve watched families become bitter towards each other, and I’ve been called every name in the book because of party affiliation.

Propel Ohio taught me that this isn’t how democracy works and this isn’t how we as citizens solve problems. I had an epiphany that our country can’t work divided, that everyone must put aside their party affiliation to work together to solve problems.

I don’t know why it took me so long to realize this, but I hope that more Americans can remember this as I have and take the steps to work together to solve the problems that keep us up at night.

Senator Brown writes on his website the purpose of Propel Ohio, “Ohio has been home to innovators and leaders for a generation, from presidents to poets, from Wright Brothers to John Glenn. We want to prepare the next generation of Ohioans to continue their legacy.”

The focus of Propel Ohio were issues that affect childhood poverty, including health and hunger, education, and housing security.

A lot of what many of the guests that have had an influence on childhood poverty in the past had to share stuck with me and initially inspired me to question my preconceived notions of our democracy.

House Democratic Leader, Fred Strahorn, said “I don’t care what tribe you are in if it’s a good idea, it’s a good idea. This is so important.

I’ll say it again, this is so important. It’s so simple but I feel that we fall away from this because we don’t want to agree with something anyone outside our party says. Mr. Strahorn is right, a good idea is just that, a good idea. If it works, we should accept it and support in spite of our party affiliations.

Ohio Senator, Peggy Lehner, also expanded on this idea, “You can’t fix anything in isolation. We need real bipartisanship, everyone sitting down at the table working together.”

This is was what was so out of sight for me, where my irrational fears stemmed from; from receiving so much hatred for voicing my beliefs, from seeing others lose their best friend because of their different opinions, and the country splitting in half because of an awful election. After Ms. Lehner explained it, everything made so much sense. How can we work together without actually being together? How can we work together without actually listening to others ideas? How can we work together without can giving other opinions a chance? How can we do anything without using bipartisanship?

We can’t.

The mayor of Dayton talked about the fun of working through bipartisanship, “We get to cross party lines because we all love Dayton.” Finding a common love and forming goals to work towards that love is so important. Dayton is a beautiful and inspiring city and although local and federal government are very different, we can learn something from Dayton.

Former Governor Bob Taft spoke about what really helps a child in poverty, “A loving and caring adult, that extra and stable support.” We can all be that for a child, regardless of our party. I have had the privilege to do this through a summer program called “Let’s Eat, Let’s Read” where I was able to help students find a love for reading and feed their hungry bellies, it was beautiful thing to see the impact that this had on the children. Everyday, at an inner city after school program I currently work with, I have this opportunity. I have the opportunity to be that loving, caring, stable support for a child that needs it. None of this involves my political beliefs or opinions, it’s just me, using the chance I have to be a good influence in a child’s life that needs it.
Thank you, Propel Ohio, for opening my eyes to the beauty of bipartisanship, to the real problems our country is facing, and what a real democracy is.

Editors Cup of Coffee: Bipartisanship (Morgan DeWitt)

Kai (College Dems) + Max Michel (Republicans): Take on the election

Featured Professor: Dr. Crosby (Devon Beck)

What College Students Don’t Want to Hear at Thanksgiving Dinner: Sam Lodge

Black Friday/Thanksgiving Stories/Beauty Budget: Mika

College News: Bike Trail or New Building (Christy)

What You Didn’t Know About Marion- Sam Young

Dani- Featured Club

Featured student- Morgan D.

Commuter Column: Amanda S.

Other Ideas:

Big Picture of the On-Campus Debate

Getting a Presidential Library in Marion

Where’s the party scene?

Chamber of Commerce Booklet

 My polar opposite depicted this election in the form of a choice. A choice in which he sees an obvious answer; a loving, intelligent and devoted public servant or an idiot.  Many of the sound bytes chosen in the article are not only false but support a fallacy; and like all philosophy teachers will explain, good decisions begin at the end of a fallacy.

Now the best part about defending someone is, when attacked, all I need to do is poke holes in the aggressor’s argument. So let’s take this paragraph by paragraph. “when you ask yourself who has the experience necessary for the presidency, Clinton is the only one that has it.” You’re right, Clinton does have a track record. An awful one. The Obama administration, under Clinton, has almost completely destabilized the middle east and left it in the control of Iran. A radical theocracy that still penalizes people for slandering the prophet Muhammad. You’ll hear Clinton talk about how she brought down Osama Bin Laden. Well they only even discovered the location of Bin Laden thanks to the interrogation techniques at Guantanamo bay which her party now strongly opposes. Not to mention the fact that it was the brave soldiers of these free states that actually captured Bin Laden ; and did she show her gratitude? Well maybe, maybe not. It’s hard to tell when you find out that during Benghazi Sec. Clinton, acting president Barack Obama, and Def. Sec. Leon Pinetta chose not to take action while watching from the comfort of the situation room, by means of a reconnaissance drone, the hero’s, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty, fight for their lives on top of the consulate.

“Donald Trump consistently avoids detailed policy discussions.” False. Donald Trump has offered so many solutions, but democrats can’t seem to see past Clintons campaign of insults to recognize the effective plan he has put forward; or to see the vague statements Clinton can’t seem to stop making. Clinton: “We need to help the middle class” “We need to bring jobs back” “We need to ask the rich to pay more.” Well, Mrs. Clinton, putting aside the fact that that last part is thievery bordering on systemic oppression, its nothing more than empty sound bytes not based on fact but the groups you represent both at home and abroad thanks to the massive donations to the Clinton foundation. Donald Trump: “we’re going to reform border security, work with Mexico, and increase spending.” “We’re going to offer women tax right offs to help alleviate the burdens of pregnancy.” And my personal favorite in regards to the worst terrorist group since the Nazi Party, ISIS, “We’re going to bomb the (crap) out of them.”

These are solutions. These are the answers to problems we’ve been working to fix for years but have been stopped by an administration that can’t see past their own pride and emotion. However, the American people know, just as well as I do, that just because it feels good, doesn’t mean it does good. A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote for a lack of competence and character. Whereas a vote for Donald Trump, whether you like him or not, is still a vote for a principled and disciplined govt that will work efficiently with a majority republican congress, and supreme court, to effectively stabilize the middle east, fight back against Putin, increase border security, eliminate frivolous govt regulation, and bring true freedom to the American individual.

P.s 1. No one is denying climate change. 2. We don’t know what is causing it or how fast it is happening. 3. China would benefit if American policy would switch from pro oil and gas to pro renewable energy. 4. An overwhelming number of state sponsored Chinese scientists have been trying to exaggerate the role humans play in climate change for almost two decades now… Donald wasn’t politically correct but he sure wasn’t being crazy or dumb. He’s a fighter and a business man that was trying to make sure lies don’t tear our home apart. End of story.

Come watch the college Democrat, Kai Meade and college Republican, Max Michel debate live October 19th, 2016 in Morrill Hall 100 (the auditorium) at 7 p.m. Debate Party immediately to follow.

You can also follow more debates in print through The Study Break.