Senior Suggestions: How to make the most of election season

My freshman year at Marietta was marked by the campaign of, then senator, Barack Obama and Senator John McCain. I remember walking to Front Street with Sean McKenna and other members of The College Democrats to hear, now our vice president, Joe Biden speak. It was a surreal experience that a small town in Ohio, one that I'd never heard of until I applied to MC, was the focus of the campaign. Not only were the democrats heavily using MC, the republicans were as well. Governor Sarah Palin made a stop on campus and spoke in the DBRC; the line to get inside was literally down Putnam Street. Now four years later, another presidential election will mark the next milestone in my life, graduation.

With both Twitter and Facebook abuzz over the GOP debates and primaries, and the State of the Union address, I'm pretty sure that either you're really excited or want it to stop. Regardless of party affiliation, here are three tips to make your election season a little smoother.

First, make your social media work for you. Follow news organizations on Twitter and Facebook. That way, you have news reports at your fingertips ... even though a quick Google search has always been there. Ones that I follow include @NPR, @CNN, @BBC, @NYTimes and @WSJ. I also follow updates from the campaign trail on Facebook. If you're not into politics then mute people who constantly update about it. That way you can control how much or how little your timeline is clogged up with politics.

Second, get registered to vote. The Ohio primary is March 6. For those interested in participating this is an easy way to ensure that you will be ready in November. Besides, voting is a right that many people have fought and died fighting for. Use it. If you need to register, then contact me. As Marietta College students, we are considered residents of Washington County and can vote here.

Third, don't be afraid to ask questions. If you want to know what a candidate believes, ask. It's the easiest way to get informed. Go to the political science department's Pizza&Politics. Go to the College Republicans' meetings in Riggs Board Room Monday nights at 6 or the College Democrats' meeting Wednesday nights at 9 in the Fire Place Lounge. Talk to the faculty or other people that you know pay attention to politics.

This column is devoted to sharing tips from seniors with the student body that they have learned during their time at MC. Seniors can leave suggestions on the Marcolian Facebook page or in the comments section for this story on marcolian.com.