It is time for students to take a stand and make sure they are heard.

It is time for them to register to vote, and they don’t have to go far to find a place to register.

The registration deadline in California is Monday, Oct. 18, so if people are interested in registering, now is the time to do it and EC is the perfect place to sign up.

At EC, students may register to vote right outside the Student Services Center on the main walkway that faces the volleyball nets.

There are people sitting at a table outside the building registering students and some of them even walk around the campus asking students to register.

If students don’t catch the booth outside the Student Services Center, they may also go to the Student Activities Center to pick up a registration form.

Registering to vote doesn’t get much easier than this.

Also, rockthevote.com is a great place for students and all young people to register to vote and learn about what the issues are.

Students should feel empowered and understand that they, too, can take action and exercise their rights in this democracy.

There are infinite reasons students should hit the polls Nov. 2.

One of the most important reasons students should vote is simply because they can make a difference in society and it would be a shame for them to pass up the opportunity.

At times, apathy feels more comfortable or easy, but eventually everyone needs to take a stand on something. If they didn’t, nothing would ever change and improvements would not be made.

If people don’t take action or voice their opinion, other people will walk all over them.

Nobody wants to live on their knees and have no control over their living conditions. This generation should show that they it has more self-respect than to let that happen.

This generation should also know that it has more power than it thinks it does over the election.

Every vote counts, and as insignificant as a person may feel his or her opinion is, most would be surprised by how many others share the same point of view.

Decisions made by the government will affect students’ futures. The public in general should always jump at the opportunity to help in making these big decisions.

Nobody should sit back and watch things happen, feeling that he won’t be affected or that his vote doesn’t matter. Even those who choose not to vote for president should at the very least vote on local issues.

The bottom line is that you can make a difference and you have more control than the government and the representatives. You just need to recognize the powers you possess.