The tears that pour from our eyes, fall down our cheeks, and land in our laps are the tears of anguish. The struggles we face, though some of them preventable, come as the inexplicable result of something great, yet tragic within our lives. Birds leaving the nest, never to return to their mothers; loved ones leaving our sides all too soon; the mystery of illness that plagues our bodies and baffles our minds – all share the same sorrow and longing for a second chance.

One of the men in the audience turned around in his chair and looked at a woman surrounded by children, fidgeting in their chairs with cupfuls of chips.

“Look, he’s looking at his wife to see if he can bid,” auctioneer and Art Guild advisor Gerry Perrino said as he looked into the crowd of bidders.

I put the latest mixed CD into the car. I turn the volume up as loud as I can. I remember the first time my parents drove me to Newport. The sun was blazing and I was a mix of insecurities. What would freshman year hold? How would my running go? Would I have friends? Even if I did, would they accept me?

How would I leave my twin? We spent 18 years together and now we would be apart for the first time.

The Viennese Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha Cha, Paso Doble, Jive, Foxtrot, Rumba, Samba, and the Quickstep. When you normally think of those dances you don’t think of them as hip or the kinds of dances young people would be interested in. You usually picture American youth in the dance clubs grinding and shaking their booty or hip hop dancing.

Next year around this time you’ll be able to cast your vote for the next President of the United States. Are you ready? In the United States, 42,834,082 people fall between the ages of 18 to 30, only 27,913,813 of them are registered to vote. With these alarming statistics it has become obvious that many young adults are not politically active.