Dear post-election Hamline,

We write this letter at a time of strife and tribulation, marked by dissatisfaction and herbivores. The general feeling toward the election remains one of an audience watching a comedy skit that’s run several weeks beyond the last punchline. Those who are still laughing at the absurdities thrown out by the performers only embarrass us, while those that take those same ridiculous claims seriously and nod their heads provoke a simultaneous groan and cringe.

People vote, of course. Even if some believe their input only significant to some illusory degree, they still vote. We hope you have voted. Our future, your present day, depends on it. And when you’ve voted, we hope that it’s because you made a choice that reflects your principles, that you believe it’s worth casting on a ballot. We’d prefer that scenario to be what you look back on.

We’d like to avoid thinking of the vote as some kind of be-all end-all decision that absolves us of obligation in the future. This election wasn’t about changing the world. This was an election of ideologies. The stakes revolved around retaining a foundation from which we might make the sort of changes and discover outlets for own voices on issues we want addressed.

The election doesn’t elicit drones of monotonous sighs because of a lack of care nor a presence of apathy. It grows out of a common feeling that, in many places and in many ways, the system has disappointed us. The expectation that the very same status quo can work towards changing the structure of that system is what draws out the sighs and provokes the glazed eyes that older generations associate with Millennials.

Thus, we, the students of the past, make a heartfelt request of you, the future. Don’t wait for the system to bail us out of the rut we keep finding ourselves in. Practice an active form of patience rather than a passive form of aggression against the way things have been for generations before us. Voting is only a platform for action from which we can move toward representing our interests and implementing standards that align with our ideals as Americans, as students.

We know that you know the system won’t go out of its way to give you a voice. We’ve known that for years. Pool your creativity, advise against stagnation and let go of the fantasy that someone else might incite the change we seek. We know you’re capable. Yes, you—us, and us alone.

Sincerely,

The Oracle