Ever since I was little everything has been based upon popularity. Who the teacher liked the most, who got his or her work done the quickest, who brought the best birthday treats. By second grade, cliques were formed. My grade had unofficially been separated into the pretty girls, the weird girls, the athletic boys, and the nerdy, smelly boys.

Those cliques began to meld and mold into to more general categories of ‘Popular’ and ‘Unpopular.’ Being in with the ‘popular’ group meant having all of the cool school supplies and lunch boxes and shoes. Being ‘unpopular’ meant staying in the background not saying anything, coloring with your box of 12 crayons instead of the ostentatious 64-box. Being ‘popular’ also meant being talked about. That one person’s name said over and over again, whether it was for announcements or for tests or in the classroom in general. That one name became ingrained in my mind, associated with approval and achievement.

When student council elections rolled around, it was assumed that one person would always run for some kind of office. No matter what their speech sounded like or what they happened to look like that day, they would win because everyone knew their name. Maybe it was from the glittery neon posters in the hallways, advertising their personality or their looks or their academic achievement. In reality, how much did we really know about this person? Did we know what their plan was for the school, what role they played in the school setting, or even just them as people? How did they treat teachers and friends and family?

The same could be said for presidential elections. For teens who can vote, it’s a constant drone of ‘Be informed, be a good citizen, etc.’ But if you talk to half of the students voting this year, many are oblivious when it comes down to the issues, the candidates, or even their own beliefs and opinions. Many students base their votes on name familiarity, rather than on the candidate’s platform. National government elections are similar to the student council elections. Votes are bought by flashy commercials or posters, how many times the candidate’s name is said, or a stand on one single issue. Many commercials are filled with mudslinging and vague promises to the American people, guaranteeing a better tomorrow for everyone. How are ‘Forward.’ and ‘Believe in America’ going to affect us? What are they going to do about making birth control easily accessible, about the funding being cut in schools, or the economy in general? The only way we can be sure of a candidate is doing research. Being informed voters is important, no matter what. It gives us the ability to speak up in government. It gives us a say in who goes in the White House. Above all, it gives us the power to effect change. We just have to choose to use it.