Sadly, the most frequent question I get from high school and college students sounds something along the lines of:

“I finally started to speak up about my conservative views online or in my social circles, and ever since, my friends have called me terrible names and abandoned me. What do I do?!”

OR

“I am too scared to join into political discussions or share anything online because I know my friends would leave if they knew I was conservative. What do I do?!”

First of all, you guys: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE FRIENDS WITH PEOPLE WHO WOULD ABANDON YOU OVER POLITICAL BELIEFS.

The people you meet in high school and college are not the end of all potential life friendships. As you grow older, you will meet so many great people who will provide meaningful, strong relationships and friendships.

Second, this is a strong pitch for why students on campus should join Turning Point USA. It’s not just a group for avid politicos studying political science. It’s a group for campus independents and conservatives to gather, to grow as individuals and professionals, and form bonds that carry on well beyond the years of college.

In a time when anyone who goes against the radical leftist culture on campus is “cancelled” in their social circles, let’s make sure TPUSA chapters are filling in that void for college students looking for quality friends.