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鈥檚 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.
鈥淚 feel pretty good,鈥� Solis said. 鈥淚 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.鈥�
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.
鈥淭he country was really divided on who to pick,鈥� Parillo said. 鈥淚t seemed that it didn鈥檛 need to be that extreme, because of the media and everything. It just seems like it got out of hand.鈥�
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.
鈥淚 do not feel safe, and I feel suddenly a lot less safe,鈥� Harvey said. 鈥淚 was pretty optimistic when I went to bed last night. Then I woke up super early in a cold sweat and I looked online鈥︹��
Harvey said that some of Trump鈥檚 views make them feel terrified.
鈥淭hey scare me,鈥� Harvey said. 鈥淣ot 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.鈥�
Women鈥檚 reproductive rights were on the minds of other students. Senior Isabelle Shreve said she felt shocked and disappointed in the country.
鈥淲e鈥檙e at this place where we don鈥檛 really know what鈥檚 coming next,鈥� Shreve said. 鈥淎 lot of stuff that people have been really worried about is coming up. Like losing women鈥檚 rights to health care, rights to gender affirming care and just the political climate changing in general. It鈥檚 nerve wracking.鈥�
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.
鈥淛ust don鈥檛 lose hope,鈥� Shreve said. 鈥淓ven though we lost the election, we haven鈥檛 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 鈥淧ost-Election Exhale鈥� 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 鈥淧ost-Election Reflections.鈥�