In less than two months, we will be deciding the next president of the United States. We’ll either be getting the first female president or we’ll get four more years of Trump (*cue the “Jaws” music). It shouldn’t be big news to all of you how big this election is. However, we at The Hoot would like to re-emphasize that fact, because the election IS that important. If you’re in college, you’re likely at least 18 years old at the moment, or you’ll be at least 18 by Election Day on Nov. 5. Therefore, you should be able to exercise your right to vote for the President of the United States. For most of us, it’ll likely be the first presidential election that we get to vote in, so we should use our votes wisely. Importantly, it’s not too late to sign up to vote. You can go to vote.gov to find out about getting registered to vote or to check your voting registration status. It is an important task for all Americans. Speaking of important tasks, you should also be getting your news from proper sources about the candidates. With a certain presidential candidate spouting lies about Haitians eating cats and dogs in Ohio, post-birth abortions and more, it’s of the utmost importance that you get your political news from reliable places. Certain news sources don’t try to disprove obvious lies and support his rambling; everyone should make sure that they have all of the facts. Having incorrect information can, and currently is, leading people astray. Therefore, we want to encourage you to make sure you know how to find the correct news sources. When looking at a website, see how highly regarded it may be and if it has a positive reputation. In addition, it’s vital to know the bias of your news source, whether you agree with their points or not. We encourage you to go to allsides.com to learn more about the different biases that appear in your news. While a little bit of bias is natural, you don’t want to read a publication that is essentially just propaganda for any political agenda. Also, just take a quick scan of headlines on a website, see if you’re able to quickly recognize stories being sensationalized, so you know to avoid that publication. Some publications we recommend include The New York Times, The Washington Post and Politico. There are surely many others that get the job done well and we encourage you to continue reading the websites you trust. You should also keep exploring and see what’s out there, as you can never be too informed about a topic as serious as the upcoming presidential election. We may say this about every election, but this election is probably the most important election in modern history. Considering what may occur with Project 2025, the election could have dire consequences for a variety of people. So until Election Day, and even afterwards, take the time to learn about the presidential candidates so that you know what the future may hold for our country. Also, once again, remember to vote!