ORLANDO — My family was never very outspoken on their political affiliations. My parents didn’t vote for the first time until the 2008 election, and they’ve lived in this country for years.

For this election, it was finally my turn to cast my ballot for the president of the United States.

Like many people my age, I did not consider myself knowledgeable enough about who was running for office and what each candidate stood for.

This is why so many young people decide not to vote.

But I refused to plead ignorance. I took charge and educated myself to the best of my ability in order to make my own informed opinion.

On Nov. 6, I woke up at the crack of dawn on a mission.

After casting my ballot, I finally felt like I deserved to have a say in what happens in my country. I feel as though if you have the ability to vote, and choose not to, then you shouldn’t really have the right to complain about what the president is or isn’t doing.

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