"Donald Trump in nearing his 100th day in office. These past hundred days have felt like a blur, and yet I can’t believe it’s only been just over three months. That makes the three years and nine months he has left sound like an eternity.

"While I am encouraged by the fact that Donald Trump has been met with more opposition than I believe he expected to find going into office, I am still very concerned about what his presidency will mean. A particular concern of mine surrounds foreign policy where Donald Trump is less limited by democratic institutions and there are fewer ways to check his power, he is after all our chief diplomat. As an environmental studies student, I am also very concerned about the effects that this presidency will have on our environment, both nationally and internationally. The precarious status of public lands, continued support of the fossil fuel industry, and changes and limits to the Environmental Protection Agency, are a few of the pressing environmental issues surrounding this administration. I am afraid that this presidency will leave legacies that cannot be undone.

"While all of these concerns are extremely important, the first 100 days of the new administration, have illuminated for me, more than ever before, the benefits of empathy and understanding. The divisive campaign and election abruptly made me realize the lack of exposure I have had to the experiences of others. I have never lived anywhere other than New England. While I have read, heard and learned about other people’s experiences in this country, I live among and interact with people who often have had similar experiences to my own. This is something that limits my understanding of the diversity within our country. I strongly believe that hearing diverse perspectives, whether you agree with them or not, is always beneficial. I feel fairly powerless to change most of the concerns the new administration has raised in my mind. However, striving to listen to and respect the diversity of opinions and experiences of my fellow citizens is absolutely something I can strive to do for the rest of Trump’s term and beyond."

Olivia Wicklund Phillips

Harvard, Massachusetts