College Students Don't Care

[passiveprogressive]

So I'm sitting here in the campus library like I do every Monday before my Medieval Lit class, minding my own business and laughing aloud while reading this week's Top 10 Conservative Idiots, when a fellow student pops up behind me.

Her: "Hey, what's so funny?"
Me: "It's an article on my favorite political site about conservative idiots."
Her: "Oh...is that, like, on You Tube or something?"
Me: "No."
Her: "You should go to You Tube, they have this REALLY funny video of this dog trying to bite his own balls, I've watched it, like, a million times."

...Right. To tell the truth, I'm not that surprised by this. Being politically active on today's college campus is a bit like coming to school with your pants on inside out, although I've seen people do that here and get less reaction than I do when I start talking about the movement to impeach Cheney ("..You want to make him a pie?"). No, I'm not surprised about it based on personal experience, but outside of that, hell, it blows me away.

I recently did an on-campus research study for a speech on political awareness I was working on for a speaking class. I polled as many students as I could, quizzing them on their knowledge of both pop culture news ("What is Britney Spears up to these days?") and political news (Who is the most recently appointed Speaker of The House?"). I also did research on college students from years past, including the students who started the protests at Tiananmen Square, those involved in the protests over the Kent State shootings, and the various and asundry instances of on campus protests of the War in Vietnam.

My findings on the knowledge possessed by current students were unsurprisingly tilted in favor of pop culture. Something like 25 percent of those polled couldn't name the two countries we invaded after 9/11, and 19 percent didn't know how many years there were between US Presidential elections. I remember, while polling a freshman comp class, I saw one girl lean over to her seat mate and ask, "It says "What do you think of the current situation in Iraq? ....What IS the situation?"

I just don't understand where my fellow college students went so wrong. The only protest I've ever seen going around campus was a myspace-inspired petition to change a dress code in a nearby high school so that students didn't have to have their shirts tucked in. And it's not like they just don't know much about the things going on in our world, it's really, HONESTLY, that they don't care. Every time I bring up something political during a class discussion (I'm an English major, so that happens a lot), it only elicits groans of disproval or confused, blank stares. I can't even remember how many people have been completely taken aback to learn that I'm their age and not an older college returnee.

So what the hell happened, that America's college campuses have grown so apathetic to political movement? What is wrong with the world that on such a well-known liberal/progressive website, there's not a college student discussion board? What happened, and why, and how do we fix it?

I'm a college student. I'm twenty years old, and I don't know that much about anything, but I'm trying to learn. I want to know everything. But most of all, I really want to know that I'm not the only person in my generation who feels that way. Somebody, come on, give me some hope.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. They have no investment in what's going on. Or, better stated,

they haven't figured out that they do, or soon will, have an investment in what's going on. But because it doesn't directly affect them now, they don't care.

The big difference between now and the Vietnam-era protests was the draft. If your own sweet little ass is on the line, you start thinking hard about what's happening outside your immediate world. I am not in favor of reinstituting the draft, but if that happened you'd see an instant and dramatic change in the political involvement of college students. I was in college during the late '60s, and with the exception of the football jocks and the el-ed majors we were ALL involved up to our eyeballs in politics and protests and demonstrations.

But good for you for being involved. Keep up the good work and keep trying to educate others. I know there are other younger people who are paying attention, but it's disheartening to go to an antiwar rally these days and almost everybody there is an old fart like me.

[passiveprogressive]

5. I agree, although...

in my college's particular case, it matters very little whether there's a draft or not. I'm in North Carolina, and my school (as well as the homes of most of the people who attend it) is located in between four major military bases-- one Army, one Marine, one Air Force one Marine/Navy. Almost half of our student population has a family member, friend, or acquaintance who is serving in the military or plans to join. But still, they don't follow the news, the don't question the war, they don't wonder what's going to happen next. They just say, "Oh, there's a war, daddy's going to be gone for a while."

I just can't fathom it. We're twenty minutes from an AFB and have a distance program on that base, members of our student body have died serving, and I was recently shot down when I asked if I could post advertisements for an off-campus anti-war protest (don't worry, I went to the naysayer's superior and got approved).

I'd hate to think that the extreme lack of care on my particular campus was ALL due to the (loose) religious affiliation of the school, but there you go...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. That could be part of it. But even so, voluntarily deciding to join the military

is a whole lot different from getting that letter that says "Greetings" and being told to report for induction, knowing you're going to be sent to some infantry unit as an enlisted person and packed off to somewhere you didn't want to go. The college students or their friends and relatives who intend to join can choose the branch and will probably enter as officers and will have at least some choices as to what they will be doing. But if they got that letter in the mail they'd be singing a very different tune. Guaranteed.

[truedelphi]

24. Agreeing with you almost totally.

One other point - the fact that tuition costs are out of sight means that more and more people on campuses come from affluent households.

Why the hell should they care? Daddy's or Mommy's Bush tax cut just bought them that SWEET mini cooper with the four thousand dollar car stereo. The oil stock Granma bought them is soaring in value and they ain't never gonna see the sands of Agfghanistan or Iraq or Iran.

They sure aren't going to find out much information on TV other than Paris Hilton, Britney and some scum bag like Dog the bOunty Hunter.

And for the last six and a half years, the Bush-Cheney-Rove mind Fuck meme has been part of the culture. Us old farts are already formed in terms of brain circuit development. These young people have grown up and spent their entire formative years inside a fascist system.

[roguevalley]

26. if they were subject to the draft, they would care. it focuses the mind,

the draft.

[CountAllVotes]

2. they will start to care

when there is a DRAFT.

As for you, continue on with what you are doing. It is people like you that will make a difference in the future.

There are too many spoiled kids in college. Their parents are footing all of the bills and they only worry about the latest tattoo and stupid idiotic things to be found on utube as you mention.

You are the future! You my friend are also something I think of as being a very needed asset to our country. You are not alone I am sure and America needs you and your thoughtful mind.

I'm too old to be in college but 30 years ago I was where you are today. It was no picnic then either.

Hang in there and continue to educate others if they will take the time to listen. :)

KEEP HOPE ALIVE!!

[elias7]

3. that's why BUSHCO has resisted instituting the draft

Without a personal stake in the struggle, it's difficult to reorient your mind and priorities to such concrete and practical affairs. As for hope, we all are trying to keep the flame alive until the fire catches. What else is there to do?

[NoodleBoy]

4. it's always been this way.

I've been in college and politically active probably longer than you, so something I can tell you right off the bat is that political activism goes up in even-numbered years, especially for the Presidential election. And just because people know more about Britney Spears than they do about the Speaker of the House doesn't mean they're not involved-- recently, Barack Obama came to speak to my campus, and, get this, he drew a bigger crowd than Bill Clinton did when he came to campus to speak in 2006. In my opinion, alot of college students, and alot of people in general, do want to know more about politics and be a little bit more involved, but for people who haven't grown up political it's tough to find a place to start.

Something else you might not be noticing is the vast difference between public and private universities. Private colleges, almost as a rule, have student involvement exponentially higher than public colleges, mostly because it's higher-caliber students who go to private schools who want to make the most of having to pay an order of magnitude greater in tuition.

[passiveprogressive]

6. Not necessarily...

Mine is a private college and there's definitely not a lot of care on campus even if (some) students are a little more serious about learning. Then again, we're also a religiously-affiliated school with a lot of scholarshipped atheletes (which is why I get practically nothing in financial aid, grr), soo....

[Pierre.Suave]

11. completely false

"Something else you might not be noticing is the vast difference between public and private universities. Private colleges, almost as a rule, have student involvement exponentially higher than public colleges, mostly because it's higher-caliber students who go to private schools who want to make the most of having to pay an order of magnitude greater in tuition."

What in the world would make you say the above statement other than an elitist view of private colleges versus public universities?

Some of the public universities are just as, or more, expensive than private universities as well.

:eyes:

[NoodleBoy]

15. well after a year of trying to start a progressive student think tank,

I started hearing that students at other public universities were failing by the dozens as well, while our counterparts organizing on private colleges were taking off like mad. doing a little looking around, I noticed that not only are student groups more quickly organized on private campuses, they're larger and more active as well.

Yes, some of the public universities are just as or more expensive than private universities, but those are the exception.

[Pierre.Suave]

19. Which one were you trying to start?

Was it the "Roosevelt Institution?"

I was trying to get that going on the University of Michigan campus ans it did not go too well. I think there is a feeling among most college kids that they cant do anything to change things, even by voting which they also see as useless.

It is sad and very frustrating.

[nashville_brook]

7. Idiocracy: "Ow, my balls." -- it was like this during my college years, in the 80s

it's a complete dumbing-down of college. i had an upper division class in "great books" where a good percentage of students sat in the back reading USA Today sports section. I shit you not.

as i recall there was a real animosity toward learning in general, and the current political trend is a subset of that. like, it's uncool to "think" and specifically uncool to think about things that matter.

here's my advice to you -- take that feeling of dissatisfaction and find like-minded people. if there's not an anti-war group on campus -- START ONE. it's easier than you'd think and it will bring your education into focus in a way that you will treasure for the rest of your life.

[Ishoutandscream2]

12. Ah yes, college in the early 80' s for me

All I can remember is being around a bunch of Reagan wannabes. When questioned, very few thought about changing the world and making it a better place in which to live. All they wanted was to become millionaires.

The Reagan era - where being ignorant and selfish was in vogue.

[passiveprogressive]

28. reading USA today in class....

...is child's play to the things I've seen on campus. Unfortunately, I do go to one of those really white-bread, elitist, Southern Baptist type schools (hey, they gave me a scholarship, I can commute, and it looked like a good place to start some shit), so everybody's more interested in who's doing what sin to care about the state of the nation. Basically, the privileged kids rule the campus...they are the only ones consulted when a review of campus life needs to go out, or when someone wants to take pictures for the alumni magazine, yada yada yada, they are in charge...I've even seen them coerse the professors into working paper due dates and projects around their softball schedules. I'm in an Honors scholarship group that does workshops and projects every year, and, I kid you not, the class is all white, all upper-middle-class, and at least three kids have pastors for dads or want to be one themselves. The rest, other than myself and my close friend, are music or "recreation" majors. And these are supposed to be the best of the best for our class.


I just didn't think this was how college was supposed to BE like, y'know? And now I'm about to graduate and I feel like I don't know who's going to politically agitate people on campus once I'm gone.

[nashville_brook]

40. fortunately, what happens after you're gone won't be your responsibility.

am i correct that you are an english major? if you do grad school, try to go to a larger university.

[passiveprogressive]

47. but isn't that

like running away from the problem? I mean, yeah, it would keep me from bitching, but it wouldn't fix all the problems with the campus I'm at now. It is my responsibility if I want to see people around here voting for change.

[progressoid]

9. Apathy and ignorance are rampant...

and not just with college students (although, one would hope they would be a little more engaged than the rest of the populace).

They have no reason to care. What's in it for them? Life is comfortable, so why bother?
They have cheap fries, cheap clothes and a never ending flow of mind dulling media entertainment.

To paraphrase Pink Floyd, "We have become comfortably numb".

[MLFerrell]

10. Quitcher bitchin'.

I'm in grad school, and I assure you that there are MANY politically active college students. You just don't see them, because by and large, they keep to themselves. Who the hell brings up politics or international relations at a party or a bar?

Try joining a chapter of Young Democrats, or failing that, start your own.

Why do these tard-students know more about Britney Spears than Barack Obama? What does the MSM devote more coverage to?

Better yet, go ask young adults who aren't in college. Go ask those who get their "news" from Faux or the like.

Would you rather be surrounded by the politically apathetic, or mouth-breathing rightists?

"My findings on the knowledge possessed by current students were unsurprisingly tilted in favor of pop culture. Something like 25 percent of those polled couldn't name the two countries we invaded after 9/11, and 19 percent didn't know how many years there were between US Presidential elections."

It ain't just collegians, kemosabe. Those proportions probably mirror the populace at large pretty fucking closely. Ever watch Leno's "man on the street", or whatever you call it? Yeah, tell me it's only college students after watching that horrible spectacle...

Oh, finally, welcome to DU!

:hi:

[passiveprogressive]

29. thanks for the welcome

I actually got the idea for the polls from Jaywalkers (that's what he used to call it, at least before I had a kid and still had the energy to stay up for Leno, lol). Actually thinking about expanding it for a project if I ever make it to grad school, to include different age ranges. Although, frankly, I'd prefer to be proven wrong and meet a lot of smart people. Heh.

[Buzz Clik]

13. I have 4 college aged kids, and they are all intensely politically aware.

However, I also teach college-aged kids, and their awareness is variable.

It's all a matter of how they spend their leisure time. Because most college kids today are not directly threatened by anything happening in politics, they have little interest. Watching a dog biting his balls is far more compelling than listening to the various candidates justifying their position for some damned thing or another, or listening to Bush threaten Iran, or hearing Condi Rice spread some more bullshit on the Sunday morning talk shows, or beating your head against the wall wondering why the Democratic Congress is so impotent.

Woe is me!

Umm.... would you happen to have that link to the dog biting his balls? Did you ever see a praying mantis capture and eat a mouse? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCM3eLrFStg

[passiveprogressive]

30. didn't look at it, but...

my husband did happen to have a picture of it on his computer. Hah.

[unpossibles]

14. that sucks. If it helps

I've been out of college for a while, and I find this is a trend common in people that are out of college too. Whenever I try to discuss politics, I usually get either a glazed-eye look, or called a commie or something, depending on the person. There are a couple of exceptions, but it does get frustrating.

We can't give up - attempting to spread accurate information is one of the most important things we can do - but it is never easy. Sometimes I hang my head and think we deserve this mess if so many are apathetic, but I can't give in to those thoughts. And on the other hand, there are many people out there who do care, and it is spreading. Things like Colbert and the Daily Show help to make current events "cool" again, as lame as that sounds.

I really think the two things which have lead to this state are a steady push by the media to discredit the government - or at least the non-corporate politicians - through a steady diet of propaganda to misinform, distract, and detract, and the lowering of the bar to the point where policial discourse is seen as a screaming match.

[flashl]

16. Welcome to DU. n/t

[WCGreen]

17. It wasn't any different than the 70's...

And the 60's as well...

The College kids got involved because of the draft...

When the draft went away...

[LoZoccolo]

25. That is basically what my dad has told me.

He even went so far as to say that he didn't actually disagree with the Viet Nam War, but he still maneuvered (legally) to keep himself from getting drafted.

[WCGreen]

46. The activism, what little there was when I was on campus in the

mid and late 70's, was, at least at OSU, centered around legalizing pot and pro-choice...

[ShadowLiberal]

18. It's a sad truth generally

I'm a college student myself, and there doesn't seem to be so much political awareness here, or at least people don't care much.

I remember on election day in 2006 how I was walking past two ladies talking, and one of them said something like "so are going to go vote later today", and the second saying something like "hmm... nah I guess not, I don't feel like it".

I'm taking a political science class right now as a history elective, and a lot of people in there don't seem to pay much attention to politics. It's usually just me and a few other students who know about stuff already when the teacher talks about current events.

A few times I've had teachers ask who voted in the last election (04 and 06) and only a third of the class raised their hand times. Yet in 2004 one of my teachers once told the class that they hadn't voted for decades (I think he used to vote early on, then stopped after something like Nixon's reelection), but how they were voting in 2004 because in their own words "four more years, I can't take four more years of Bush".

Unfortunately a lot of young people just feel like their vote doesn't matter, and believe both parties are equally corrupt. Studies have shown that those who have more at stake are more likely to vote, and students/young people being poorer generally don't have as much at stake as older people. I think I read recently that only like 18 percent of young people who didn't go to college actually vote, and that it's extremely difficult for politicians to motivate them to vote.

[passiveprogressive]

31. but that makes no sense...

...being poor generally ought to make you WANT to vote more, to find a candidate who wants to help end poverty, make more opportunities for people to achieve equality, etc etc. The statistic is correct, it's just ridiculous that it IS correct. If you're young and you're poor (like myself, until I finally graduate), you have your whole life to change that, so why NOT vote for someone who wants to make that change easier for you?

[zulchzulu]

20. You might also include the rest of the population as well

People of all ages don't care. They bitch about things but don't vote. They whine about nothing can be done, so they do nothing.

Nothing....

As for college students not caring, I've run into the opposite with students working on grassroots stuff for Obama. We have a group of up to 50 students that have been going to Iowa to help on different things at a couple Obama offices. There are some that aren't that dependable, but the majority kick ass.

[AndyTiedye]

21. Maybe That is How to Reach Them

The only protest I've ever seen going around campus was a myspace-inspired petition

Can we use Myspace to organize more meaningful protests?

[passiveprogressive]

32. I've done a lot of that...

as far as bulletin posting and promotion of candidates, but the only responses I've received thusfar have been negative ones (know a couple of soldier's wives and pastor's sons who don't want to believe their Great Leader is doing anything wrong with the war). It is a decent idea, though, I have started to see people with Obama or Clinton or Edwards as their myspace "friend." Thing is, a lot of people who use myspace now are high-school aged, which doesn't help much. There are more college kids on facebook, but I don't know how to use that, lol, and I haven't really seen any political groups there.

[happyslug]

22. So what else is new?

Teenagers and Collage age people, all like people of all ages, they are social animals and to be sociable you have to know what other are thinking about. Now, mot teens to mid 20s are also looking for a mate, maybe NOT admitting it, but they are. Thus people of this age want to KNOW what others of their age know so they can talk to each other. This is normal and healthy. The problem is what is acceptable to teens (And I am using the term "teen" to mean anyone between 12 and 25)? They want to know what is in fashion and what looks good to other teens. Thus the tendency to read about Brittany and other "pop" stars, it is something they can all talk about without offending any other teen.

Politics has a problem for teens, mostly politics divisiveness. Teens do NOT want to be divided, and politics will do that, thus politics is something teens do NOT talk about with other teens. If the teen has contacts with older people, politics become something they are familiar with and maybe even enjoy, but the divisiveness survives. When the teen graduates from collage and finds a mate, the now 20 something wants to maintain their friends, BUT THAT IS SECONDARY TO THEIR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN. Thus they enter the divisiveness of Politics, but with great hesitation, for it breaks up their friendships (i.e. they have to make a choice, and that decision will turn people away).

My point is teens are noted for their lack of Political expertise and power. As their age, they slowly learn that politics is IMPORTANT to themselves and their Families. Just remember this most people do NOT get involved in politics unless it affects them personally, most teens view politics as something they have no or little voice in given most teens desire is to be popular. As they age, people start to see HOW politics affects them AND THEIR FAMILIES and react to those facts.

The real key is to show these teens (And remember I am including collage age students under the term "teen") that politics does affect them and to discuss it even if it means breaking up their social group. It is tough, for some teens will want to maintain their social group at all costs, even at the lOST OF POLITICAL DISCUSSION. Others will use this fear of breaking up the group as grounds for the group to drop the issue. It is easier to keep a group together is the issue is the latest pop star then who will decide if the teens Will be drafter or not. Thus it is hard to bring up politics to teens, but it is something we all must do. Refer teens to this forum and have them see how we discuss issues that often divide us. That is what "Adults" do that "teens" do NOT do and something "teens" must learn.

[passiveprogressive]

34. I see your point...

regarding students who get involved with politics only after separating themselves from the "clique" by marriage. It's true in my case, for the most part; I didn't realize the full gravity of the situation with our world until after my son was born and I realized that his life would be hard unless I worked to make it easier. I've always been an activist on some level, but it took having someone else to worry about to really make me want to change things. But that doesn't mean that things SHOULD be that way...it all boils down to the selfishness of people my age, and selfishness is never a good thing.

[ElizabethDC]

23. As a college student myself, I'd like to say your experience doesn't reflect my own at all

I go to school in DC, so I guess things are a little different, but everyone I know is incredibly politically involved. Just as an example, the College Democrats is the second-largest organization on campus (after only the school spirit organization, which pretty much everyone belongs to). And just a few nights ago, I was kept awake late into the night because my neighbors were having an hours-long debate about whether or not countries should invade other countries.

Where I go to school, few are apathetic; politics is discussed constantly. Your post makes a lot of negative generalizations about people our age, and I'm happy to say that, in my experience at least, are largely untrue.

[passiveprogressive]

35. again, that probably goes back to

what many have said about politics directly effecting college students. In your case, things are happening right there in front of you, so you have the fortunate position of being able to hear things first-hand as they unfold. By the time news of what's happening in the capitol gets down to my neck of the woods, it's just the third-or-fourth story covered on the nightly news. I realize I made a generalization that may not be true for all college students, but by and large, it is true of MOST college students.

[ElizabethDC]

39. Well, I don't think my experience is entirely unique

I'm not from DC originally, and I know students at campuses all over the country, and many of them are interested in politics as well. Additionally, I saw a lot of interest in politics back in '04 when I was travelling around the country and looking at potential colleges.

BTW, what's happening in DC isn't affecting me any more than it's affecting you, political stuff is just a lot closer to me here, so it's easier if I want to participate. But there's plenty of stuff that goes on on campus that's irrelevant to what's going on outside of my university's gates.

[Downtown Hound]

27. I think a lot of it depends on the school

I went to Humboldt State during 9-11 and the early days of the Iraq War. There was a fair amount of political activity going on. Now I'm at a more conservative business school. I have had a few political discussions, but politics is kept low key around there.

There are lots of politically active youth. And there are a lot that aren't. If you look hard enough, you can find the ones that are.

[gmudem]

33. I go to college ver y close to DC

And I would say there's a lot of people who care about politics and aren't apathetic and ignorant. Granted there's several who are just like in any other age group but it's possible that you're college just has fewer people who care and some have more. Of course I'm a government major so it's possible that I just meet more people who are into this stuff heh.

[passiveprogressive]

37. you might be right

that such an overwhelming lack of political awareness is just specific to my campus (lucky me), but that doesn't mean that it doesn't happen in lesser degrees on other campuses, and it doesn't mean that it's something that people shouldn't be worried about. I mean, even if it IS just my college, that's still several thousand people who will pass on absolutely nothing about political involvement to their kids, several thousand people who could meet with other kids their age and spread their apathy like a political staph infection. Even if it was just Mount Olive College, every sweeping negative movement has to start somewhere, right?


I think it's interesting that most of the people who have already been through college are more accepting of the fact of collegiate apathy than those of us actually in college...and if we can't accept that there's a problem on our campuses, then it's just as much our fault for not trying to fix it.

[Debi]

38. Welcome to DU gmudem

:hi:

[Debi]

36. welcome to DU passiveprogressive

Thank you for getting involved :hi:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

41. I don't want to brag!

LOL but in my day they had sit ins, rolled over in the road, set fire to things ie. protested. I guess it was before Britney Spears' time?

[knitter4democracy]

42. Not here at Western Michigan University.

The student DFA chapter is pretty strong, and so, unfortunately, is the College Republicans chapter. There are all sorts of political speakers and events all the time. Yes, there are a good many who don't care, but there are also many who keep track and care and protest and work for campaigns and more. I've been happily surprised to see the level of involvement in most of my classmates, and I'm just a stay-at-home mom taking a class this semester for fun (Modern Lit--very fun!).

[passiveprogressive]

44. I'm a...

lit major, too! Although I'm doing American Lit...pretty fun stuff, isn't it?


I guess it's probably easier to see more involvement on larger campuses (I go to a small private college), but there is still a large number of students on every campus who aren't involved or even away. It may be a lot easier to notice a lack in activism on a campus like mine, but I think it's really important for college student to all get involved in getting people involved. That good many who don't care are still important voters come election time, so we should be working to make sure that everyone cares.

[knitter4democracy]

49. I'm just going for fun. I graduated *cough* years ago.

Western's really good in medieval lit, though, since they host the conference every year. I'm thinking of taking something like that next time. It's fun. :)

At our small college that Hubby and I went to, it was harder to find people who were politically active, but we still had decent numbers for the Republicans (it's an evangelical Christian college, so . . .). Of course, they knew all about abortion and other hot button topics and very little of actual news, but the administration did their level best to keep us isolated, too. *sigh* I do not miss those days . . .

[RebelSansCause]

43. umm well i go to NYU

and we are pretty much one of if not the most liberal campus in the country. the vast majority of people know things about politics and many of them are politically active. we have one teeny tiny college republican chapter and bashing on them is fun. however, i will grant you that going to school in manhattan is different than anywhere else. plus we have a big evil bureaucracy that we get to fight again. but no, there are MANY, MANY activists and and activist groups here. of which i am of course a member of several.

[passiveprogressive]

45. I'm glad for you!!

Make sure you enjoy the options available to you at NYU. I don't actually know of a school in my area with a large or particularly active political group. And I've seen NY before, and even just looking at it, I can tell it's definitely a different experience than anywhere else :)

[josh_edwards07]

48. Allow me to speak on this

Being a college freshman. I will agree with you that many college students are apathetic. However, I'll b 20 this Sunday, and am currently working on the 7th campaign in my lifetime. There are a small minority of us that are involved in the political process. While there is apathy, there are some of us deeply involved