58 days. 8 weeks. 1426 hours.

Okay, so I made up the last one. The countdown feature on my computer is not quite that advanced. At any rate, in just two short months, this country will elect a new president and we will have the chance to make history. If you are registered to vote, congratulations. Voting is an important civic duty and you should be proud. If you have not registered, you should work on that procrastination problem of yours. But no worries, you can register in Missouri until October 8 and there will even be a voter registration drive all over campus on September 18. Upperclassmen who have moved to the Village or off-campus can change their address then too.

So now you can vote. Good job. To translate civic engagement into elementary school terms, you have just mastered the alphabet. You deserve a gold star. Maybe even a chocolate chip cookie. Speaking of cookies, my mom hasn’t sent me any this year. Oh, the long lost joys of being a freshman. But really, shameless pleas for homemade cookies aside, voting is just the beginning. This is Washington University. You are all smart, talented people. The alphabet part was easy.

I know that many of you are still deciding who to vote for. Take your time. It is an important decision and you should continue to learn as much as you can about each candidate before Election Day. But for those of you who have chosen a candidate, I challenge you to act on those convictions. Do more than simply show up to the polls. Try volunteering for a political campaign. I know that Wash. U. students are busy, but this is something well worth your time. Campaigning does not have to take long. Even one afternoon of canvassing or a few hours of phone-banking is important.

It is remarkably easy to find ways to get involved. You can start by contacting College Democrats or College Republicans about the volunteer opportunities that they will be coordinating this semester. You can also check out your candidate’s website and sign up online to volunteer.

Wash. U. has a great tradition of community service and many students here have volunteered their time to work with local St. Louis organizations in an effort to make a small dent in some of the many social problems we face. That type of community service is important, but this is your chance to address some of those problems on a broader scale. It is great to tutor kids or feed the homeless, but to truly solve problems like poverty or failing schools, we need to change the laws and government programs that directly affect these issues. That is the power of political action.

I truly believe that this election will be one of the most important political events of our lifetimes. Our country is fighting two major wars. Our economy is collapsing. We are on the brink of an energy crisis. If you care about this country’s safety, your job prospects, the environment or our future, this is the time to stand up.