As the presidential campaign process continues to blossom, I have grown excited to meet a ton of new people. My eyes have been opened to the awesome size and talent of Andover’s student body. You all have something to offer, and I would love to learn about every one of you, but the school is so large that this becomes impossible. Despite our differences in opinion and approach, I am sure that all six of us can agree that we are running because we love this school and love its students. Students of the academy, our plea is that you go out of your way to introduce yourself to one, or all of us. Talk about your ideas. Give us feedback. Tell us a story. We are running because we want to know and represent you accurately. One of us will inevitably be elected, and I assure you that you will feel better if you get to know us first. You have seen us through posters, videos, platforms and debates, but there is no better way to gauge our presidential worth than through a casual one-on-one conversation. You may have questions that we have not answered. Ask us these questions. You may disagree with our stances. Tell us. Meeting us will make this election process fairer and more worthwhile. For your sake, meet us so that you can choose the best candidate for the job. We are very easy and fun people to talk to. I am friends with all five of my opponents, and I guarantee you that conversations with them will be easy and rewarding. I have lived with them, studied with them, played sports with them and enjoyed the incredible class of 2010 with them. If you find the courage to introduce yourself, you will not regret it. TJ is out of this world. Lily got ‘em fixed. Billy claims no apparent differences between himself and Obama. Eric painted himself blue and took pictures. Faiyad found the courage to talk about toilet paper. I wrote this article, Phillips Academy, all for you. We share the goal of meeting your high standards and won’t stop until we do. I am proud to be a member of this school, and I am proud to still be alive in this election. So please, before you vote next, talk to us. We won’t bite. dcrystal@andover.edu
