'We're the ones who have to live with the laws the longest': Students weigh in on election

College is the first time some students are away from home and able to form their own views that may differ from what they heard going up. For others, it is the time to find like-minded people and encourage others to be active in politics.

A few Middle Tennessee college students shared what being politically active looks like to them on their campus and the advice they have for other students ahead of the midterm election.

Claire Cole, 20, Belmont University

Growing up in Hermitage, Claire Cole realized her views often conflicted with what she heard. During the pandemic lockdown and Black Lives Matter protests, she had more time to reflect and was frustrated by what she was hearing.

“Everything was so much bigger than what I was taught in school,” Cole said. “I wanted to do something with all the anger I felt with what was going on.”

For Cole, that meant becoming a political science major and joining Belmont College Democrats.

As a member of the organization, she was able to find her voice and speak out more on political issues regarding her and her classmates.

The organization has encouraged voter registration, advocated for masks and vaccines and built a relationship with the community.

Cole knows the midterm election is more difficult for the Democrat in Nashville’s new congressional District 5, but she hopes people will go out and vote.

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“The candidates are decent this year, I guess,” Cole said. “There are a few that are a bit jarring, but what’s new?”

Cole’s advice for students this year is to be heard.

“If you don’t like what’s going on, go confront,” Cole said. “Go make your voice heard. It can be difficult but don’t lose your momentum. Be heard.”

Emma Curtis, 20, Belmont University

When Emma Curtis joined the College Republicans at Belmont in 2021, she was trying to find students who were like-minded. Since then, she has become the president and met some of her closest friends.

For Curtis, being politically active on campus gives her the chance to have difficult conversations with other people.

“It’s not like what you see on TV. The conversations are civil and open,” Curtis said.

Being politically active also means helping make other students aware of the power they have with their votes.

“We are the next generation,” Curtis said. “The future is in our hands.”

Curtis said knowing your values and what you stand for are important in college. But students should also know why their values matter, especially during election.

Curtis’ advice for students is to make sure they vote.

“They may not be the president making the big decisions, but they are still making decisions that matter,” Curtis said.

Jackson Clemons, 20, Belmont University

For Jackson Clemons, being politically active in college has helped him find his voice.

Growing up in Spring Hill, Clemons became interested in politics in middle school. As a participant in the Tennessee YMCA Center for Civic Engagement's youth and government conferences and model United Nations, Clemons received his introduction to politics.

While those years were good for helping him form his political opinions, he wanted a community and hands-on experience.

Once he joined the College Republicans at Belmont in 2020, he felt he able to be politically active the way he wanted.

“It was the first time I was exposed to real-world issues and a community that wouldn’t exile me,” Clemons said.

In 2021, he became the secretary and found his footing to become more vocal around campus, knowing he had a support system.

For him, being politically active is using your voice and vote to be heard while having those hard conversations with people on the other side of the aisle.

Clemons wants all college students to vote and realize the importance of local elections.

“We can come together to vote and make change,” Clemons said. “Show we are still a nation that works together.”

Allison Sarkisian, 21, Belmont University

Allison Sarkisian began forming stronger political opinions after the pandemic began and she noticed a lot of the political decisions she didn’t agree with.

A couple of years later, she began to see how political decisions were directly impacting her, and she knew she needed to become more vocal. For her, that was joining the College Republicans at Belmont, where she is the current vice president.

The college atmosphere gave her the confidence to speak out and join events on campus where she could have an open dialogue with others and encourage them to speak out more as well.

“It’s 'we the people,' and we can make changes. Students should go out and be active with whatever their political opinions are,” Sarkisian said.

Sarkisian hopes students will remember it’s everyone’s civic duty and votes do matter, even if some people don’t think so.

“Every election cycle matters. Those votes add up, and we have the power to effect change at a state level that can be just as effective as voting for president,” Sarkisian said.

Clarissa Gadsey, 21, Cumberland University

Clarissa Gadsey became politically active in her sophomore year when she joined student government. Since then she has been a student liaison and is now the president.

This year Cumberland has their first all-female cabinet on the student council and immediately got to work showing everyone they meant business.

Earlier this semester, Cumberland participated in the secretary of state’s voter registration competition to see which colleges could get the most registered voters on campus, and Cumberland won for private colleges.

“We were going to every freshman class and created a lot of social media engagement including a hashtag #LetsCUVote to get people registered to vote,” Gadsey said.

Being so involved with politics around campus has helped Gadsey realize that she wants to continue her work outside of school. She’s looking for internships that will allow her to continue the work on a larger scale in Tennessee.

“It has taught me that I love working with the people and being the friendly face someone can talk to about their issues,” Gadsey said.

This election, she’s excited to see what Odessa Kelly does and how Roe v. Wade being overturned will impact who’s elected and what they do once they are.

Gadsey hopes everyone remembers to vote and realizes midterms are just as important as presidential elections since whoever is elected will also be the ones making laws.

“For our age, we’re the ones that will have to live with these laws the longest,” Gadsey said.

Theo Baker, 20, Middle Tennessee State University

For Theo Baker, political activism in college means a bigger platform and more support than before. In high school, he was a member of student government and participated in the youth and government conferences held by the Tennessee YMCA Center for Civic Engagement.

“As a queer individual, I paid attention to what was going on,” Baker said. “I wanted to see some change as to how politics were happening in Tennessee.”

A few years later, he’s become the president of the College Democrats of Middle Tennessee State University where he and the other members encourage students to find their voice and vote and fight for issues such as early voting on campus.

Baker’s not only trying to encourage students to be active in voting and civic engagement but wants them to find experience behind the scenes as well. Students a part of the College Democrats have had opportunities to intern and work on campaigns for local and state politicians such as Jason Martin and Wayne Steele.

“To me, politics is feeling like the people around you feel like they have love on their side like they can have justice,” Baker said.

Bakers’ advice for students is to vote and make sure they’re prepared with whatever they need.

“Bring notes, a guide, cell phone or whatever you need into the polling place. Make sure you’re comfortable.”

Katrina Aguilar, 19, Middle Tennessee State University

Katrina Aguilar had been aware of politics but found her passion for them during the pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. She's now a political science major and member of the College Democrats of MTSU.

Being a political science major and being in the organization has given her the chance to try to make change locally, as well. Recently, the College Democrats and other MTSU political organizations tried to get early voting on MTSU’s campus.

For her, being politically active means being heard and making sure everyone’s human rights are protected.

“If our voices aren’t heard politically, they aren’t heard at all,” Aguilar said.

Smaller elections such as primaries and midterms are not a time to sit out, Aguilar said. The local elections are a time to make real change.

Offices such as school council, city council, mayor and governor will be the ones making decisions that will trickle up into other offices.

Aguilar said she understands that sometimes it can be overwhelming and confusing for those who don’t know all the lingo of politics. For that, she doesn’t suggest sitting out but finding someone to talk to.

“Find someone reliable who understands the system to answer your questions and explain it,” Aguilar said. “Make sure you get everything you have answered before you vote.”

Claire Reber, 20, Vanderbilt

Claire Reber joined Vanderbilt College Democrats during her freshman year and has since spent the last three years hosting panels and canvassing for local politicians in Nashville.

Reber believes college students should at least be aware of what’s happening politically since these are things that directly affect them.

“As you look into the housing market, look for a job, your rights are being taken away,” Reber said. “I don’t know how people can not be engaged and not be anxious about what’s going on.”

As someone who has been politically active for years, she understands that big moments like Roe v. Wade being overturned can be difficult.

“Channeling all that emotion into educating and mobilizing other people helped. The poorest people in our society who are going to be impacted the most are already impacted the most with other laws,” Reber said.

For advice for students getting ready for not just the midterms, but future elections, Reber says to get involved.

“Doing the civic duty of voting is important, even if you don’t think it matters,” Reber said. “But political engagement can be good in various ways. There’s not just one way to be politically active and have your voice heard,”

Eliana Sussner, 20, Vanderbilt

Eliana Sussner is involved with the Vanderbilt College Democrats. During high school, she spent time working with local politicians in New Jersey. While on campus, she does the same working with candidates such as Odessa Kelly and with students to realize the impact their voice has.

The overturn of Roe v. Wade might have caused her to take a moment to collect herself, but it didn’t stop her from mobilizing and educating more people about their rights.

“If the politicians can’t take a break, neither can you,” Sussner said. “They don’t care about what rights they are taking away. It doesn't mean much to them, but it does to those who are now without.”

Sussner also believes that students should know what’s going on in at least a basic sense and that there isn’t just one way to be politically active.

“Restructuring and reimagining what political activism looks like is the first step in getting more students politically active,” Sussner said. “It is canvassing, going to a town hall, requesting an absentee ballot, or emailing your representative.”

With midterm elections on the horizon, Sussner hopes people do vote but don’t stop there.

“People put a lot of weight on midterms, but the work doesn’t stop there,” Sussner said. “However the election goes will change how policies will be enacted for the next couple of years, but keep putting the pressure on them.”

Reporter Kenya Anderson can be reached at kanderson@gannett.com or on Twitter @KenyaAnderson32.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville students talk politics on midterm Election Day