College and university students at Kent State University are reacting to the news Wednesday that former President Donald Trump secured enough electoral votes in the 2024 election to return to the White House. On the Kent campus, Trump’s victory was being greeted by a range of reactions from approval to worry.
Freshman Mason Solis said he was pleased with the way the election turned out.
“I feel pretty good,” Solis said. “I feel like the economy is going to rise up a lot, and I feel like we're going to be a more protected country. Seen as more powerful.”
Junior Carmen Parillo said that he voted for Trump as the former president aligned more with his views. He believes that this election split the country in half.
“The country was really divided on who to pick,” Parillo said. “It seemed that it didn’t need to be that extreme, because of the media and everything. It just seems like it got out of hand.”
But there were others like Jamie Harvey, who identifies as non-binary and transgender, who said that they were scared for their future now that Trump will serve another term as president.
“I do not feel safe, and I feel suddenly a lot less safe,” Harvey said. “I was pretty optimistic when I went to bed last night. Then I woke up super early in a cold sweat and I looked online…”
Harvey said that some of Trump’s views make them feel terrified.
“They scare me,” Harvey said. “Not just for myself. But for like my friends and family and people, even if you're not trans, there's a lot of issues with reproductive rights that fall under the same legislature. And it's a very fuzzy area to get lost in.”
Women’s reproductive rights were on the minds of other students. Senior Isabelle Shreve said she felt shocked and disappointed in the country.
“We’re at this place where we don’t really know what’s coming next,” Shreve said. “A lot of stuff that people have been really worried about is coming up. Like losing women’s rights to health care, rights to gender affirming care and just the political climate changing in general. It’s nerve wracking.”
Shreve said she is nervous about her future, but she had words of advice for anyone like her who may be stressed out or upset with how the election turned out.
“Just don’t lose hope,” Shreve said. “Even though we lost the election, we haven’t lost everything else yet. Just keep fighting and stay positive."
The university has planned events to help students decompress following the election. One event Wednesday afternoon was billed as a “Post-Election Exhale” and was intended to provide tips in dealing with the stress and emotions that may have been stirred up. The event included counselling support and even a chance to spend time with a therapy dog. On Thursday afternoon, the university is hoping to bring students together for dialogue at the Kent Student Center for “Post-Election Reflections.”