For as long as teenagers today can remember, politics has been a great debate throughout America. The news they receive is constantly flooded with the latest about the president, senators and everyone in between.

As teens grow older, they tend to become more interested in the world around them and start developing their own thoughts, based on their personal beliefs and the society that they grew up with. Their feelings start to differentiate from their parents, and they become more independent.

That’s just life.

Often times, people get their political views from the ways in which they are raised. Their parents or grandparents lean one way, and they tend to lean the same way. It’s human nature.

But many teenagers are influenced by their peers or their society. Their independent thoughts are what helps to shape our future.

“I’m going to say that I’m an independent, I have things that I agree with from both sides, but also things that I disagree with from both sides,” sophomore Conley Hamblin said.

As far as where his beliefs come from, Hamblin states that his views are from his own judgment on the things happening around him. He is able to separate his own views from others and come up with his own ideas.

The anonymous senior is a Democrat. The student believes it’s important to be able to speak to everyone, no matter their age.

“If you can speak to everyone and influence everyone, you have a good chance in my eyes,” the senior said.

The anonymous freshman is Republican.

“Trump is a great president and he’s done really good for our country,” the freshman said.