People like to complain. Just a fact.

And if you’re a person, you likely have complaints. And if you’re a Grand Valley State University student, your list of complaints probably includes a point or two about the way the university runs or meets your needs.

Today, you can make an effort to cross them off and move on. Vote.

Student Senate is hosting its annual election process, which means that you have the opportunity to elect a student to represent you and the issues that bother you most.

While many people love to complain, many people don’t take the next step to create change. Bringing up problems is not helpful if nothing is done to change them. Student Senate is one easy way on campus to voice concerns, get opinions and make a lasting change on campus.

Some students also complain that changes made on campus favor a certain group or don’t take into account other issues that may come up. The important thing is that people vote for students to be elected that will reflect their opinions and represent the entire, diverse student body accurately. There is no way Student Senate can know issues being faced by the everyday student if no one ever tells them.

GVSU often prides itself on its commitment to diversity, inclusion and community. But how can the university really have these values if the students helping to make major decisions on campus don’t reflect them? You may think that one vote may not make a difference, but it does. The more students that vote for next year’s senators, the more opinions are represented, the more the whole student body can be represented.

Here’s a motto that everyone should keep in mind: Don’t complain about things if you’re not willing to or don’t care to take action and work to fix the problem. Voting for Student Senate doesn’t take long and makes a big impact. Make sure you take the time to vote!