There are times when one can feel the winds shift; days when you wake up and know the world will never be the same; sweeping moments when you feel the palpable, concerted willpower of mankind. Our future begins today. As President Obama (it feels so good to finally say that!) spoke to the masses at the Capitol this afternoon, the mood was almost somber. He began by outlining the challenges facing his administration and our country, letting us know in no uncertain terms that he was not underestimating the difficulty of the next few years. As he continued to speak though, his tone became more and more optimistic. His speech, overall, was realistic but optimistic, saying that although we have a long and difficult road ahead of us, and although we may have made mistakes in the past, we are more than capable of making the necessary changes to not only right our past wrongs, but also to move forward, be better, do more, work harder, and lead more wisely than ever before.

More than any other time in my life, I think this moment in history will define my generation. For nearly all us college students across the nation, this was our first chance to vote in a presidential election, and indeed this marks the first administration under which many of us will begin careers and start lives of our own. For the first time we were able, as a demographic, to speak our minds and be heard, to clamor for change and be heeded, and to become fully responsible active citizens. For this reason, I think Obama’s speach was especially meaningful to my generation. We are the ones with the power to continue on this wave of change; we are hopeful, energetic, change-hungry youth on the shoulders of which this new era rises. We will forever be the ones who grew up under Bush, found our voices, and elected the first African American man to be President of the United States. These next four years, hard though they may be, will define us forever.