This election has been one full of vitriol, from Republicans, Democrats, and third parties alike. Passions have run high all across the board, and for most current Rolla High School students, this is probably the first election that students have actually been in-the-know about. Toward the latter-half of the presidential election however, many people agreed on wanting at least one thing from it.

“The end,” Rolla High School teacher Michael Ellis said.

“I hope that we can have this election be like the others and be able to put this behind us and move on,” Ellis said.

While the election is over, and we have a new president-elect in Donald Trump, that hasn’t stopped the controversies, protests, and the like from taking place. Passions continue to run high, and while they may mellow out with the passing of time, they don’t look to be ending anytime soon.

“I don’t think I’ll ever see another debate like this. It’s just a joke, I don’t know of any [other election] that was ever a joke,” senior Erin Hawkins said.

“I think it’s been dirtier, I think there’s been more negativity towards each other, it kind of took all the union-ness out of it you know? I mean we have the best system of government in the world and then we put an ugly twist on it and kind of made us the laughing stock of the world,” Ellis said.

While there have certainly been exceptions on all sides, a large number of the public have expressed their disappointment in the two main candidates of each party. This disappointment was reflected in the voter turnout as well, whereas in 2008 Barack Obama won presidency with approximately 69 million votes, and then again in 2012 with approx. 65 million, this election Trump won with only approx. 60 million votes.

“It seems like no one in this election is passionate about either candidate, whereas in most elections people feel they can get behind their candidate and support them but with this election Republicans and Democrats are choosing between the lesser of two evils,” RHS teacher Travis Curtis said.

While there are still so many uncertainties with the current political climate, and likely will be for some time to come, be sure to keep this closing sentiment in mind before getting too upset over any arguments at the Rolla High School:

“I personally don’t follow this profession, I’m just opinionated angsty teenager,” Hawkins said.