As we near the U.S. elections, I'm excited to live in Columbia. It is a small college town, full of students who are interested in the future of our country.

Up until the voting deadline on October 8th, Republican and Democratic student groups were all over campus urging students to sign up to vote.

Walking to class everyday I would hear someone shouting things about either Obama or McCain. The cool thing about living on such a large and vibrant college campus is that the students aren't afraid to voice their opinions. Things seem to be a little more electric on campus with the election approaching.

It seems like the general student consensus in town is that Barack Obama is the right man to lead our country for the next four years. His youth, enthusiasm and distance from the Bush administration are all things that are able to sway a younger crowd.

Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Biden came to Columbia a few weeks ago for a campaign visit. Obama supporters believe that the younger generation is a key vote for their campaign in this year's election and so they are attempting to make great strides in that area.

An interesting fact about Missouri is that we have voted for the winning president every year, except for one. Missouri is considered a bellwether state; one that influences trends or foresees future happenings. This is the first presidential election I have been eligible to vote in, so it's certainly exciting to live in a place like Columbia and vote in a state like Missouri.