As you near the beginning of the four most important years of your lives, make sure to consider the exciting timing of your freshman year. This is a crucial year for many reasons, the upcoming election being the most important. As new students in new surroundings, you, for better or worse, will have the responsibility of affecting the outcome. How you go about doing this is entirely in your hands. As you start to become familiar with the political atmosphere of this city, you will notice countless opportunities to get directly involved with politics in an extremely decisive time.
This fall, as you experience the beginnings of your college career, do not forget the ability you have to come face to face with the well-being of this country. UW-Madison boasts a deep political history, from the Anti-DOW Chemical demonstrations in 1967 to the groundbreaking decisions made two years ago in the mid-term elections, this campus and city are planted in a hotbed of political controversy.
Although difficult to achieve, if you somehow manage to steer clear of politics this fall, you are wasting your time by attending this university. The ultimate college experience"" will not ensue if you fail to take advantage of this time and place that you have entered, where your very actions and decisions will contribute to the stories that the next generation of students will read in their history books.
With that said, there will be a surfeit of volunteer work at either Presidential candidate's local headquarters. Associated Students of Madison, the university's government, is constantly looking for interns who are compensated with three credits for a semester's work.
Wisconsin Public Interest Resource Group has an extremely similar program, with a wide range of positions. From working on a homelessness project to pushing for certain environmental bills, there are hands on political experience within walking distance from any of your college dorms.
Advisors send out internship applications for governors, congressmen, or senators on a very frequent basis. Home to the second largest of the 50 capital buildings, opportunities arise to work there as well. Perhaps the most exciting part about this semester, outside of the election itself, are the political connections that you will make. Aside from the large impact you will be leaving on this country, early political involvement will get you familiar with other members of student government, or those who work in the office of the capital. In time, this could get you a summer internship.
The possibilities are endless of how you can get involved in 2008, a year where the nation has seen many events that have never occurred before and therefore needs you the most. As you walk past College Library, up Bascom Hill, and down to State Street, do not deny every piece of literature that comes your way. Many of these flyers will be organizational meetings for one of many branches of politics. There will be countless pieces of paper being passed out to volunteer for a Presidential candidate.
Do not let your first semester at college be one that negatively affects the country you live in for the next four years. This election, this school, and this country are going through a great challenge, and with your direct political involvement at a place that has played a massive role in politics for many decades, there is no better choice than to take advantage of politics, before they take advantage of you.
Dan Josephson is a junior majoring in journalism and political science. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
