Besides visiting a porn store, buying a lottery ticket and getting a gun permit, freshman Deborah Edwards will also register to vote on her 18th birthday. Why? Because she is exercising her adult rights, something many of us college students haven't done enough of.
We're busy and overcommitted. We have to attend class, we have to go to work, we have to balance our checking accounts. We have to got to the Chug on Monday nights for $1.25 pitchers. Sometimes after we lose our licenses after a long night at the bars and we have to replace it the next day at the license branch. This is when the lady behind the counter asks if we want to register to vote and we reply, "No thank you, not today."
Not today? Then when?
We must be extremely busy because 38 percent of students said they didn't have time, according to national research done by the Secretary of State's office.
Only about 20 percent of college aged students nationwide even bothered to vote in 1998.
Ever wondered how the minorities and women who weren't allowed to vote in the last century would feel about how busy we are?
We're not taking advantage of our adult rights. Buying a case of beer or a pack of cigarettes does not by itself constitute adult behavior. We should take our civic duties more seriously. We can do that by voting.
Edwards has got it down - she's utilizing all of her adult rights. But other Ball State students admitted they were more worried about getting their classwork done, going to work or they simply didn't feel educated enough on political issues.
Those who are registered should be commended for taking the initiative since 80 percent of us haven't.
For those of us who aren't registered to vote let's put a stop to those guilty feelings we have when we say "no" to the lady behind the counter at the license branch. Admitting it outloud to yourself may make you feel like joining Non-Voters Anonymous, but admitting you have a problem is the first step in graduating from any rehab program. Repeat after me. My name is (your name here), and I'm not a registered voter.
It's out in the open, now let's do something about it.
Many of us struggle with government and politics. It can be painful to sit through a 45 minute political speech and it will take work to learn about the candidates and their issues.
But if Elle Woods in Legally Blonde 2 can master politics - anyone can - right? A bit of a stretch, yes, but I'm sure many share the feeling of starting from scratch when it comes to politics.
We're not going to be in our college-life bubbles forever. Although social security, healthcare, taxes, etc., are not the most fascinating topics to think about, abortion and environmental issues may hit closer to home. The next president will be in office until many of us are in our mid-twenties and we no longer live in our college bubbles.
It might seem to matter more then, but we can start now by becoming registered voters, which you can do online at www.rockthevote.org. The Web site will take you right through the five minute process. Next, we must take some time out of our "busy" schedules to read about the issues. For quick-hit information that will keep you up to date on everything you need to know about the election visit www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/index.html or www.foxnews.com/youdecide2004.
If we choose not to exercise our freedom, someone may be choosing for us one day.
So go now and buy your porn or a pack of cigarettes. Show your IDs proudly at the bars - after all we are adults, but follow Edwards' lead by utilizing all of our "of age" privileges and become a registered voter too.
Write to Meghan at mefarr@bsu.edu
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