I can’t begin to tell you how many times I hear the phrase “I’m staying out of it” when politics are being discussed. Why are you staying out of it? Is it because you might have a different opinion than someone in the room? Because you aren’t educated enough on the topic? Well those aren’t good reasons. I would rather hear that a zombie ate the insides of your brain and you forgot everything you once knew.

You’re going to have a different opinion than people. It’s okay. Opinions are a good thing, and it’s even better when your opinion is challenged. It forces you to think in other ways you haven’t thought before. Sometimes, that’s even how you strengthen your opinion. You don’t know enough about the topic? Read! You scroll through Twitter all day, how about pressing on one of those news articles and learning something new.

The conversations you have inside your classrooms are the conversations you should be having outside of the classrooms. When are you ever going to be surrounded by so many people, who are your age, who have the same interests and curiosities as you do? Question everything they say, and question everything you know. Get your professors involved, get your roommates involved, get your friends involved, and get yourself involved.

Bill Gates once said, “Every now and then I like to pick up a copy of Time magazine and read every article from the beginning to end, not just the articles that interest me the most. That way you can be certain to learn something you previously didn’t know.” Eh, you’re right, why would we listen to whatever Bill Gates has to say?

Stop talking about the girl next door and start talking about what’s going on in the world. Only 41.2 percent of 18 to 24 year-olds voted in the 2012 presidential election, compared to 51 percent in the 2008 presidential election according to civicyouth.org. Voting is the act of exercising our ability to have a direct impact in the world that we all live in. Students our age are always talking about making a difference, yet more than half don’t even vote?

Here’s a crazy thought, go to USA Today’s website and read a few articles. Quick quiz: name three possible presidential candidates from each political party. If you couldn’t do that, you’re not reading enough and you’re not educating yourself enough. Everything happening out there does affect you and if you think it doesn’t, you’re very mistaken. Pick up your local newspaper and see what’s happening in your own community.

Alright, I’m starting to sound like an intro on your QU101 syllabus. But seriously people, cut this chit chat and use your brain. Unless, of course, a zombie ate it, you should probably get that fixed.

I’m Sarah and if you know me at all, you know I don’t hold back. I’m going to be writing a weekly column this year called “unfiltered commentary” and I will be discussing anything and everything in the most blunt way possible.