Election season is here and at a large college campus, there’s no hiding from it. Between clubs encouraging us to register to vote on the walk to class, social media reposts and chatter amongst students, political talk is almost inevitable this fall.
Don’t get me wrong: being involved is important.
As likely first-time voters, college students should be familiar with the presidential candidates and the important issues at hand. However, on a diverse campus with all sorts of opinions, the burning question is: how do we interact with new friends who hold differing views from us during election season?Â
It may be easier to remain agreeable with people you’ve known for longer — long-established friends whose views you’re already familiar with. You may have also been more aware of your high school friends’ upbringing, where their current political ideology stems from. If having aligned political beliefs is something that you prioritize, you’ve probably talked to your high school besties about them in the past. Perhaps you’ve even started or ended past friendships as a result. However, as we arrive at college and begin the quest of forming new friendships, we may know less about our new friends’ backgrounds. Their political views may not be apparent when we first befriend them, so what do we do when we find out a newer friend is voting for a different candidate than us?
Having moved into my sorority house this school year, I have recently met so many amazing girls. While we’ve only known each other for a few short months, I can already tell we share much in common. I love how they make me laugh, how they check in when I’m having an off day and how they express genuine interest in my life by asking questions. A few weeks after the presidential debate, during some house-wide election chatter, I found out that a few of the girls I recently befriended held different political views than myself. And as someone relatively involved in politics, I admittedly found myself questioning how to go about this.
My mind went three ways:
Option 1: Avoiding Discussion
An easy out is avoiding the topic of politics altogether. However, this option assumes that both parties are willing to limit political discussion. The don’t-ask-don’t-tell strategy might be an effective short-term solution, but if the goal is to maintain the friendship this option may be less sustainable. But, if the goal is simply to maintain a harmonious living or workspace, or even to maintain a less-close yet pleasant relationship, this might be the best way.
Option 2: Talking About ItÂ
The unique thing about college is that it’s the only time in one’s life when they are constantly immersed in a world of peers. At a large, selective university, there are intelligent, talented and well-rounded students that come from all walks of life. With so many unique perspectives in one place, it would be a travesty to not try and learn from those around us. Part of a university education includes exposure to new experiences and people, which also means exposure to differing political ideologies. As a result, no matter how strongly we identify with our own political stance, there is likely something to learn from a friend who feels differently.Â
An additional benefit of opening up political conversations with new friends is that you may learn more about their lives outside of what you observe externally. Maybe you’ll find out why they have a different perspective on a topic, which can build empathy and understanding.Â
Option 3: Debating
There is no problem with verbally fighting for what you believe in as long as your argument isn’t hate-filled. If parties remained silent, no learning would be done nor would any change be made. That said, there is a time and place for political debate. Think about what may be the repercussions of getting into an “argument” with a newer friend as opposed to someone you’ve built more of a foundation with.
Ultimately, there is no correct answer to the question. Each situation and person is different. At the end of the day it is a personal decision how and if you decide to address political differences within friendships. However, with the election becoming a more relevant topic of conversation, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared to navigate some of these awkward social situations as you simultaneously build your social network.