At age 18 I hit adulthood. Being an adult means being able to carry responsibility—knowing when I’ve done right or wrong. Being old enough to have beliefs and not just agree with what my parents say. Eighteen is the age of maturity, it is the age when I have a say in my country.

The year 2020 will be the year I turn 18. It is when I will walk into a building to register to vote. Looking off at my parents as they shed a tear, realizing I have grown up. The weight of responsibility on my shoulders, the same weight my peers feel. That will be the year when I turn 18. 

The year 2020 will be the year I have a say. When my opinion becomes my vote. The year I can exercise my rights as an American citizen. Since I could talk, I have surrounded myself with like-minded individuals. Now I have the opportunity to combine my voice with those same people, screaming loud enough to make a change. That will be the year I have a say. 

The year 2020 will be the year I make a change. When my vote will change history. I want to change history like my parents do every time they vote. I don’t want to take this chance for granted—this chance to change America. My vote will decide what type of government we will have and who will run it. That will be the year I make a change. 

At 18 my parents let loose of the reins ever so slightly, allowing me my own thoughts and actions. Having the responsibility to make decisions for my country and choosing what I believe is right. My vote isn’t just a slip of paper that goes into a box, it’s a girl’s right expressed through my mark. The feeling of accomplishment rises above. It’s in the year 2020 that all of this comes true.