Tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Thursday, May 7th. Just another day- and yet, very much not. Tomorrow, everyone will come together to decide who governs our country for the next five years. Oh, except, not everyone. I won't be voting tomorrow. Not for lack of wanting to; I am utterly desperate to vote. I will be unable to vote because, as of tomorrow, May 7th 2015, I will still be a week and a month off of my eighteenth birthday. And that, in our so-called democracy, means that I'm not allowed to have a say. In case you hadn't guessed, it's something I'm pretty bloody furious about. After all, I am as much a citizen as anyone over 18. I am in education (which government will affect); in a year and a half, I will be off to university (which government will affect); once my exams are over, I'll be looking for paid work (which government will affect). This government is going to have as much of an effect on my life as anyone who turned 18 today, or last month, or several decades ago. And yet I'm still not allowed to freaking vote. In terms of what the law allows, I could potentially have had a child (legal age of sex: 16) and be raising a child who's utterly dependent on me. That would be a big responsibility. But, apparently, putting a tick on a box is an even bigger one. I am so looking forward to the magical moment, at the stroke of midnight on my 18th birthday, when I become an adult, and everything becomes clear. How amazing that moment will be- suddenly, I'll be given a full knowledge of how best to cast my vote, and who to vote for. At the moment, aged 17 and (almost) 11 months, I apparently still don't have that knowledge. Sigh. But someone I was talking to today, who has passed that magical turning point, is not voting because they couldn't care. That's what they said. Can you imagine how much angrier that made me about this whole thing?! I am bursting to use my vote, and there are people out there who just don't care. But they're still allowed to freaking do that, and I'M NOT ALLOWED TO EVEN HAVE THAT OPTION. Not that I'd do that. Roll on the next election, and being able to vote. You bet your freaking life I will.