The 2024 U.S. presidential election has left international students with mixed feelings.
International students are likely to be affected by the outcome of the election. New policies regarding student visas, for example, could affect how easy it is for them to come to Williston or go to college in the United States.
International students have to go through the bureaucratic process to come to school in the United States, including acquiring a student visa. President-elect Trump’s new policies may have the potential to impact that process. International students, while unable to vote in American elections, are still exposed to political content both within the classroom and outside of it, and form their own opinions and beliefs regarding American politics.
Maya Zesiger, a four-year senior from Vietnam, is disappointed with the outcome.
“I’m very frustrated, honestly speechless. It’s very frustrating to have someone like Trump have a say over women’s rights, and it’s concerning,” she said.
Maya’s opinion is one being expressed by many, particularly women, in the wake of the election’s results. The full extent of the next administration’s policy plans are still somewhat unclear; however, based on the rhetoric of the GOP, the future will be a challenge for women everywhere.
Four-year senior Dilan Jose, from Saudi Arabia, is surprised at the outcome.
“I think it’s impressive what Trump did, despite all the charges, still being elected president,” he said. “I also feel like it was difficult for Kamala [Harris] because she had to take over after Joe Biden dropped out.”
It is undeniably surprising that despite everything levied against Donald Trump, he still managed to achieve victory in the election, winning several swing states, including Georgia, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Kamala Harris was placed in a somewhat difficult position, being selected to take over from Joe Biden after he dropped out on July 21.
Will Lee, a junior from Hong Kong, did not foresee this outcome, but is not surprised, noting that his view may have been skewed.
“I thought Kamala Harris would win, but that might be just because most people in this state support her,” he said. “At the same time, I’m also not surprised, because a lot of Southern states in this country are red states. So, I’m not totally surprised that Trump won.”
It is true that the vast majority of the Southern United States voted Republican in this election, as they do in most elections. Two of three Southern swing states, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, did not flip, and voted Republican. Georgia, which went for the Democrats in 2020, and North Carolina, which has remained Republican through the last two election cycles, both went for the Republicans, while only Virginia was blue.
“You can’t change what the people say,” said Daryn Fox, a junior from Bermuda.
