By Jordan Huber.

Note: Jordan Huber is an election worker. The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Humboldt County Office of Elections.

So, the nightmare scenario has begun. Trump’s second successful presidential campaign might not be as much of a surprise as his first. What certainly was shocking was how fast the race was called. Harris’s campaign, built on a positive outlook for America and propelled by Gen-Z social media interns, ultimately was unable to win a single swing state. The Senate has also fallen under control of the Republican party, with the House of Representatives close to being called for Republicans as well. 

I spoke about hope last week, and I still have that hope after one of the darkest days that I can remember. However, I cannot say that this hope has been unwavering. While laying awake at 3 in the morning on Wednesday, I did something I had never done since I started studying political science. I questioned why I was even learning about political science anymore. Most major polling organizations had Harris in the lead. All the data and indicators pointed towards, at the minimum, a neck and neck race. So, how in the hell was this race an electoral blowout? What is the point in putting your time into a major if it will fail to predict the winner of the most important position in the country? Are there even going to be opportunities in my field in Trump’s America?

Question after question rang in my ears about what this election means for my future and the future of everyone else. I could not even begin to imagine any answers in the following 48 hours that Trump became the president-elect. I walked onto campus on Wednesday morning and you could feel the air sucked out of school. No one had answers, only grief and sadness. Classrooms became therapy sessions where even professors could not find the words to help people process what happened and what is to come. 

All of the conversations I have had in the week following the election have shown me that we cannot allow despair to swallow us whole. Students I have spoken with have commented that right now, the study of politics and political mobilization is at its greatest demand in our lifetimes. We need to know why alt-right conservatism, spearheaded by Trump, attained power once again. More importantly than the why, we need to know how to fight back. 

I do not think this is solely up to any one major or group of students. Journalism majors must rally and fight every day through the media to make sure that free speech is not limited by Trump’s revenge tour against news publications. Environmental science students need to know how to mobilize and educate the public on the dangerous “drill baby drill” strategy of Republicans that is going to devastate our world. Business majors will be forced to explain what a tariff is over Thanksgiving dinner and teach their loved ones just how backwards an economic policy is to claim that tariffs will help everyday people. 

I urge you all to take the next two months and prepare for the battle that is going to take place. We are going to need each other more than ever if we want to ensure that our democracy and that our loved ones remain unharmed for the next four years. Learning across academic disciplines will only strengthen our voice. Push yourself to take a class in national politics. Explore environmental communications. Learn about media law. Take a course on economic sustainability. You will find that there are so many others at Humboldt who are all working towards a better world, and our combined efforts are what will sustain us through the next Trump presidency. 

Jordan is a senior political science major and the president of the Politics Club. With a keen interest in current affairs and a passion for informed debate, Jordan brings a well-rounded perspective to their opinion column. Through their studies and leadership, Jordan is dedicated to exploring the complexities of political issues and fostering meaningful discussion.