Two weeks into his presidency, and every day, various news outlets are reporting on Trump’s every move: every policy, every member of his cabinet, every word he says. With each headline, apprehension rises about the next, more disruptive headline to come. My own sister became so overwhelmed by the constant content describing regressive policies and oppressive actions that she deleted social media. However, like my sister, some Bates students are able to turn heads away from the policies being enacted by the 47th President, while many others are forced to fear the way Trump may permanently alter their lives. So how fearful or anticipatory should Bates students be about Trump’s policies? As we solipsistic beings think, how exactly will his term affect us?

Seemingly according to the new Department of Homeland Security, “undocumented student” is now a euphemism for “criminal.” Previously, ICE officers were not able to arrest undocumented people at or near houses of worship, schools or hospitals, which the Biden administration extended to include domestic violence and disaster relief centers. But Trump wants to roll back all of these restrictions. Last week, Dean of International Students James Reese and Assistant Director of Global Education Services Shelley M. Palmer sent Bates’ international students an email advising them to “carry evidence of status at all times” and proceeded to include a list of documents necessary to hold with them. Much of the phrasing in the email was based on unpredictability, but the extensive instructions convey a clear unease, as they are “taking the uncertainty of upcoming Trump administration policies one step at a time.”

School is meant to be a place safe from harm’s way, where students can focus on learning and growing, particularly at Bates, which welcomes undocumented and DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students to apply. Our progressing society has created new programs to assist students in reducing distractions and barriers to their learning, but having the looming fear of being stopped anytime walking down Alumni, dining in Commons, or studying in Ladd is a barricade that the school has no power in eliminating. 

Although the population of young male Republicans has grown significantly in recent years, I believed Bates would be an exception due to its more liberal history and environment. That belief was quickly disproven after a few short days of talking to people on campus post-election (and the reminder that tuition is $85,000). At first, I could only assume their vote was an anticipatory move for the inflationary economic policies that just might boost their 5 dollars invested in crypto. However, it seemed like a risky decision considering Trump’s active attempts to freeze federal grants and loans – which includes academic financial aid as well as a reduction in federal jobs which I am sure many students’ parents hold. Although there is a current halt on its passing, its presence is still circulating in the White House – yet another uncertainty casting itself over campus. So, slowly I came to the much more pitiful realization that Trump’s overarching presidency plan puts men who dream of corporate jobs and rooftop bars at its center, and these young men who feel powerless in the world right now – still dependent on their parents and institutions and, one can only assume, lacking female attention – can now reclaim this male-dominant energy. 

During my afternoon lab the day after the election, the first concern I heard among my female peers was their ability to access reproductive care and birth control. Due to the many anti-contraceptive political leaders Trump has appointed this month as heads of U.S. healthcare, birth control is increasingly at risk of being defunded and becoming inaccessible. So, rather than spending three hours inserting our data into Excel, we discussed the pros and cons of inserting long acting birth control into our bodies. A shared fear was how painful an IUD could be – some being so intense that they trigger contractions and hormonal irregularities according to Planned Parenthood. Rightfully, Health Services provides students with easy access to many sexual and reproductive health resources such as STI tests, a variety of short acting contraceptives as well as long acting contraceptives (IUD and Nexplanon), and abortion option counseling – holding a safe space for reproductive choice on campus.

It is ignorant to hold the belief that you and those around you will not be affected by this and future terms, especially now that the dependency on our parents is waning, it is time to create our individual ideals and understand how legislation affects our health, economic, and living situations. If reading this felt distant from your personal issues, imagine another’s perspective because, although it’s human to think of yourself first, constant self-prioritization has led to the extreme exploitation and inequalities of people and countries throughout history. 

So, how do you want your life and the lives of those around you to look four years from now and how will you advocate for it?