Students who supported Kamala Harris face uncertainty for the next four years with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration in under two months, but what are their feelings now?
New York City was quiet. The streets were silent. During the bustling rush hour on the subway, people weren’t excited. They were upset, scared, puzzled. New York City had the worst hangover, the kind that stays with you all day and is accompanied by anxiety.
On November 5th, former President Donald Trump was elected the next President of the United States of America. Despite professors outwardly speaking against Donald Trump, celebrity endorsements throughout the election, including Beyonce and Taylor Swift, and Kamala HQ’s TikTok account, Harris still lost to the Republican party.
Donald Trump needed 270 electoral votes to win the election, and after the states’ results came in, he had 314. The Associated Press reported that President Trump had a staggering 76,690,259 votes; younger generations voted more for Kamala Harris. So, how do the supporters of Harris, particularly college students, feel about Trump being their president?
Graduate Uttkantha Sindhwani
Sindhwani is a recent graduate and an international student who lives in Brooklyn, NY. Initially, from Karnal, India, she can work post-graduation with her student visa.
“I’m kind of dreading it, but I was a student during Trump’s first presidency, and it did have very real impacts on my life in terms of immigration and timeline. But also because I’ve been through the first Trump presidency.”
Many voters feared the potential next four years with Donald Trump because of the previous time he held office. However, non-supporters have to face the next four years. “I feel like I kind of have the perspective that it’s just a few years,” Sindhwani states. She spoke generally about longer-term impacts that may affect citizens, but she is unsure of the certainty with Trump’s current volatility.
Many students aligned with Sindhwani feelings, where it will only be a few years, however with Trump’s views on immigration, there is an added layer of anxiety to those with Visas.
“I honestly hear a lot of conflicting information from different places, like, there’s a lot of fear mongering,” Sindhwani states. She focused on groups of legal immigrants that have elitist views, with the idea of “We should all be glad that we chose the right way.”
Student Kristy Sholy
Kristy Sholy is a first-year pre-medicine student at New York University and was not able to vote. Her views aligned with Sindhwani.
“I’ve been trying to be hopeful too. I try not to think about it too much. I wasn’t able to vote because of absentee ballots.” Sholy spoke about the difficulty of the Absentee ballots, which were difficult to track and complete on time. She said, “I wish I could have voted, but, I try to be hopeful.”
Student Dany Batalla
Dany Batalla is a drama major at New York University. Batalla is originally from Mexico and is currently in her first year of studies. As an international student on an F-1 visa, Batalla could not vote in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, given that she is not a U.S. citizen.
Batalla, like Sindhwani, is under a Visa and when asked if she felt as if her Visa was threatened she replied, “I don’t like to think about it. I hope not, because everything’s in order, and so I’m hoping it stays that way and I’m positive about the future.” Batalla related this election with the crisis with the government in Mexico.
Batalla came to New York to have a career in acting. She has been visiting since she was two years old, and for most actors and actresses New York City is the dream city. “I love New York. I’ve been here it’s like my second home.”
Batalla spoke with a positive attitude and hopes that circumstances stay positive in the near future.
Soon to be Trump’s America
With the president-elect’s inauguration on January 20th, 2025, students and professors anxiously await the next four years at their respective universities or fields. Trump has frequently discussed reducing or eliminating the Department of Education budget, which would leave the states to handle each of their education sectors. However, leaving the states to decide the education sector may lead to greater disparities in education across the country.
The Department of Education also provides Pell Grants to students in financial need. This allows families with low socio-economic backgrounds an opportunity to go to college. The elimination of this grant would put millions of undergraduates at risk of being unable to afford their next tuition bill. Students will potentially have to face this in the coming years.
The Republican Party controls the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, which is known as a government “trifecta.” This could potentially allow President-elect Donald Trump’s bills and policies to pass faster than a split House of Representatives and Senate. To conclude the US Government lesson, this upcoming term will be interesting.
Still Quiet?
New York City and the country won’t be silent forever, especially since half voted for him. The people who voted for Kamala Harris have to focus on fighting for change and continuing to make sure that politics is a two-party system. But many people are not devoted to politics, and if you are grateful to separate politics from your day-to-day life, then live on.
We can focus on our careers, family, friends, and education — bettering our lives with things in our control. As Batalla, Sholy, and Sindhwani expressed, stay positive, be hopeful, and support the people around you.
