My First Vote

MY FIRST VOTE

As you can guess by the title and the date of this post, today I'm writing all about my first ever experience voting. With the way things have turned out, it means that my first time voting has happened to occur when I'm eighteen years old, exactly the minimum age currently required by the government to vote. I always thought that when the time eventually came around I would feel mature and ready enough to vote, because all my life voting has seemed like such a big thing and very much an adult thing to do. I keep forgetting I'm technically an adult now myself. I certainly don't feel it inside, nor do I look at my peers and believe that they are all adults, so it feels strange that these kinds of responsibilities and entitlements, like voting, are now afforded to us too, just like all the adults I've grown up with. Honestly I still feel like we're too young to be voting, but then again with certain issues suddenly becoming more and more relevant to us, or soon to be relevant to us in a few years time, in retrospect I am kind of glad that a voice has been afforded to us in some shape or form.

However up until this week I've been really unsure about whether to actually go out and vote or not. The three main reasons I actually voted today were firstly because of the women who sacrificed their lives and worked so hard to make sure all women in the UK would be allowed to vote and have their voices heard, and secondly because of a little art exhibit I went to visit at Manchester Museum this morning. The artist, Romuald Hazoume, has created an exhibition out of butterflies, using them to depict images relevant to politics and as part of Election Day, Romuald decided to 'release' some of the butterflies to the public to inspire them to vote, and remind us to use our chance to speak out. For me personally it just made the whole voting experience a little bit less intimidating for some reason. The third reason I voted was because so many people in the world are denied the chance to have their voices and opinions heard, and here in the UK we're so fortunate that everyone has the chance to vote should they choose to take it. 

Now I know it might seem a bit weird that my main three reasons don't have a lot to do with wanting my say on how the country is run and who should be in power, as well as the fact that I wasn't even sure if I'd even vote in the first place, so let me explain a little bit why. Like pretty much everyone, even though I may only be eighteen years old, I do have my own opinions, ideas and thoughts about how the country is currently being run and how it should be run in future. I do care about all these things, but honestly as a young person I just can't help but feel increasingly disheartened with the political system we currently have in place. Even though I have the right to vote, it feels like no-one in the running for government is representing me and my voice. I have a voice to use but no means available to express it. It feels like I'm forced to curb all my unique opinions, thoughts, and feelings to fit those of the parties running in order to get any say at all. I have to choose the ideas, thoughts and promises of someone else instead of pushing forward my own. I'll never truly get my say, in the most literal way. I feel like politicians don't really care about what's actually important to the British people, they just care about getting into power. The Green Party supporters outside my student accommodation don't actually care about what I think should be done, they just want my vote so they can get into power and do what they want to do. None of the parties truly represent how I feel, and it sucks because I know how I personally would like the UK to develop, and what should change, stay the same or be done differently. I really do care and want the best for my country because it's a bloody amazing place to live, but I feel like those in power are going to do whatever the hell they want to do whether I like or want it to happen or not.

Another matter that's made me feel impartial to politics in general is the lack of education I've received during school, college, university. Everywhere I've gone for the last five months or so people have been pestering me to vote, just like every other student, but the thing is I don't actually know an awful lot about politics and it was only the other week that I was actually told how the whole system actually works. They nag us to use our vote but how am I supposed to use it wisely and in an educated, well informed way when no-one has ever really informed me about anything to do with politics? I can think of so many times throughout my years of education which would have been perfect opportunities to learn about politics, so that by the age of 18 I would know what was happening, how everything works, and really want to get out and there and use my vote, feeling like my contribution was worthwhile because I knew where and what it was going towards. Instead I'm eighteen years old and still just as clueless about the political system as I've ever been. I have a general idea of what's happening in the government right now, and things that have happened or may happen, but it just all feels so inaccessible to me still. I know in the very near future that will probably change, as more and more political policies and adult responsibilities become relevant to me, and I become more motivated to seek an interest in the associated politics. But I can't help but think that maybe more students would actually be motivated and enthusiastic about voting if we'd been better educated about it. Even if the political system still was a bit of a mess, at least we'd be better informed as to how to change things the right way.

But with all that being said, I'm still glad I voted at the end of the day. Evidently I want change to happen, as do so many other people across the country. Just looking at some of the political maps shows that, with UKIP in particular doing phenomenally well. And event though politics in our country could be vastly improved, at least we have a system that is relatively fair and is available to everyone who chooses to participate. We are allowed to express out voice and opinions in some shape or form, even if isn't exact. Change has to start somewhere, so I guess you have to use the means available to you, educate yourself if no-one is helping you to do so. It's a ripple effect and I feel like by voting today, even if I am a bit disheartened with the political system in general, in my own little way I've contributed to making change a possibility. I've added a spark to the fire, and in time, as the flame gets brighter and brighter, who knows where it might lead...