In the beginning, I just didn't care. Politics didn't interest me. My first opportunity to vote was in California, when Arnold was running for govenor. I just didn't care enough, and I wasn't going to vote just because he was famous.

Given that I live in Alabama now, and my style of thinking doesn't appeal to the masses, I've never voted locally here either. I've slowly begun to take an interest in the things around me. As a young adult, these things are starting to affect my future. The problem is, there hasn't been a single politician locally or nationaly that speaks to me. The things they stand for usually fly in the face of the very things I hold important.

Others, while they don't offend me, or attack what I stand for, they don't really speak to me either. Offer anything that I could follow, or it just doesn't apply to me. This year, a black man, and white woman are running for president. I don't know if I'll vote this year. I haven't really gotten into this enough to make an informed decision. I'll never vote just for the sake of voting. No matter what the situation.

I think this is a good year to start following politics. Hilary Clinton is a name I know. I've seen her deal with real life situations in public. I feel I can relate to her.

I'm starting to see that I can be an active role in what happens to me. I want to be proud of the person that is representing my country, representing me. I'm not a kid anymore. There is a bigger world out there and I have to fight for the things I believe in.

I can't pretend these things aren't important to me. I realize now my vote may not be the deciding one, but it still makes a difference. I can play a part, I didn't always understand that. Slowly but surely, I feel this an important part of me growing up. I'm excited to embrace this, and all things in my life that points me on the path of growing older.

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