If you’re following this election closely, it can feel like a roller coaster, especially if you’re invested in the outcome. Many teenagers over the past few weeks and months have told us the election has major stakes for their families and their own futures.
Even to longtime election watchers, almost every week has brought new moments that feel historic. But the paradox of an election as climactic as this one is that so many of these moments will be lost to history. After the election, all of this uncertainty will give way to a momentous result. Things that seemed significant when the election’s outcome was uncertain will quickly be buried in time as we process its aftermath.
Every election changes the country. Institutions grow weaker or more powerful. Political coalitions rise or fracture. Cultural norms and conventional wisdom evolve. And it can be nearly impossible to remember what before felt like, or keep track of how much has shifted since.
This leads to our request in this week’s challenge: Please share the moments that have happened this election cycle that you want to remember after the election is over, and a sentence or two on why those moments are significant.
After Election Day, the moments you share with us will help us create a time capsule of this election year. We will follow up with you about your contributions before we share them.
Think of this as a message to your future self. Soon, you’ll be living in the world this election gives rise to. You may or may not want to remember the events of this year. But the memories you share now can create a window in time, letting you see what’s changed around you, and how you’ve changed in return.
Anyone — even if you’re not a teenager or a young first-time voter — can stay in the loop by signing up for the Headway newsletter. If you missed any parts of the challenge, go here.
Please fill out this form only if you are 14 or older. If you are between the ages of 14 and 17, Headway will ask to get in touch with your parent or guardian before talking with you further. If you have any questions, email [email protected].
The post Teenagers: What Moments in the 2024 Election Do You Want to Remember? appeared first on New York Times.
