This year, only 25% of students voted in the student spring election, but many of us are quick to vote for our society’s next social secretary. Why is this? Students often feel alienated by student politics, blinded by its density.

What often goes unnoticed is its importance regarding the real world and democracy that awaits us outside of our endless partying and dreaded 9:00am lectures. Engagement is crucial in resolving university issues. Without your input, the Union cannot recognise the problem you’ve been complaining about since Freshers’ Week.

So, participate. It’s the most impactful thing you can do! Partaking in student politics creates a sense of unity, which amplifies your university experience by engaging with problems that affect you personally and shape your everyday campus experience.

Without your participation in student politics, the YOLO queue will get longer each week, as the Union needs more guidance on events and nightlife. To put it plainly, involvement encourages proper action. It slightly baffles me that students do not attempt to speak up about issues when they’re paying £9,535 a year, with some students paying over £30,000 annually.

It makes little sense to pay thousands of pounds a year only to stay silent about the issues you’re experiencing, making student politics essential for all students to maximise the benefits of their degree. Student democracy provides a safe space to shape policy and practice civic habits such as voting and debating, necessary for post-university politics. As the turnout of the last UK general election was only 59.7%, according to the House of Commons, we can infer that confidence in voting is decreasing.

Therefore, as young people, we must act. Engaging in student politics is a great training ground for political engagement, increasing confidence for real-world voting, shaping democracy further. Even simply joining the debate society strengthens your ability to discuss wider issues, which is especially useful when trying to explain to your younger sibling why voting for Reform UK after seeing Nigel Farage on TikTok isn’t as entertaining as it seems with no knowledge of his manifesto.

Without student politics and the influence of the Union, we would be left with university authorities to shape our experience without any meaningful input from us. Even sharing an Instagram post on your story is a form of student politics, using your voice, however small, to spark change and challenge thought. In my opinion, this helps keep our rights alive.

Some argue that despite mass effort, issues never appear to be resolved, making political action appear pointless. But positive changes sparked by the Union go unrecognised, like the introduction of the CSL and refurbishment of the SU building. If it appears ineffective to you, that is exactly why you should get more involved.

You may be the one person to change it all! Student politics is necessary in all aspects of student life, affecting you most of all, a lot more than you realise. Don’t let other people determine your experience for you and don’t let yourself feel like your money is going to waste.

So, post that story. Get involved in the debate society. Vote in the student elections.

Make democracy yours today.