“Alright Lilly, it’s gonna go far back up there, and it’s not gonna be comfortable, but bear with me,” the Ann Arbor Urgent Care nurse said. “We’ll make this as quick as possible. Relax, tilt your head back. Breathe.” 

I think it was the unexpected ease with which I accepted the long white swab into the back of my nasal canal that caused the nurse to laugh as she twisted the stick back and forth in my nostril. 

This time last year, I recall the excitement I had to vote. I showed up at the polling place and eagerly filled out my ballot for the election taking place within our township. While voting for township positions isn’t entirely appealing, I was nevertheless grateful for the opportunity to officially have a voice in local government as a first-time voter. 

Flushed cheeks, flitting eyes, lunchroom seating arrangements: These are the topics that used to populate the pages of my notebooks. I wrote about what I was experiencing, which at that time of my life were the dramatics of who was crushing on whom, what new shoes I desperately wanted or a playground trick I had just learned. 

Throughout the country, we have seen efforts to make voting more difficult, many of which target vulnerable populations, including students. From the closures of polling places to address and ID requirements, these efforts emphasize how appreciative we should be of Michigan officials like Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson who have made it easier to vote. However, these efforts should be the tip of the iceberg.