How 10 university students from Canberra and the USA feel about the state of the world
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They’re on opposite sides of the world and yet these students share thoughts and feelings that may hit closer to home than you’d expect…
It certainly did for me! And after reading this, you’ll see that being divided by distance doesn’t mean a divided resolve. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
We’re in the second half of 2025, and it feels like the world has witnessed a slew of unpredictable, tragic, and revolutionary events – one after the other. From Trump’s second presidency to war after war that’s tearing families apart and violating human rights in its wake. And with media censorship on the rise and no sign of the housing market plateauing anytime soon, being a young person during this turbulent time is as scary as it sounds (and that was just to name a few current societal issues on our radar!).
And the word “scary” doesn’t even cut it, because when I have the chance to take a glance on my social media, it’s overstimulating, overwhelming, and downright terrifying But this made me stop and think, “Am I the only one feeling this way? Do other young people — whether in Canberra or California — feel just as overwhelmed, or possibly even hopeful about the world we’ve been thrust into?”. So I decided to find some answers and reached out to ten peers: five from the University of Canberra (UC) and the Australian National University (ANU), and five from San Diego State University (SDSU) to ask them three hard-hitting questions about the state of the world and where they think it’s headed.
And if I had to describe all of their answers in three words, it would be raw, honest, and unifying. So, take that big sigh of relief, because while we may be oceans apart, it turns out we’re facing the same fire and on the same team.
If there’s one thing you could do to make the world a better place for the next generation, what would it be and why?
Destiny (Integrated Marketing Communications major, fourth year at SDSU)
I would make education accessible for all kids and ensure they learn about real, current social issues, why they exist, and the history behind it so that they get to see the mistakes people have made in the past, learn from them, and prevent making those same mistakes. My history teachers always said, “If you don’t learn from history, it will keep repeating itself”, and I think that’s very true. For instance, when I was in school, we learned a lot about the Civil War and why slavery was abolished, but I know for my siblings, schools don’t really teach that anymore. And even how America came to be! The most recent history book I saw said that the Native Americans “gave” the Europeans their land because they were “friendly”. And this doesn’t just apply to America, all around I feel like there’s history in each country that is similar to ours that needs to be talked about more in their own countries. So, making education more accessible would be key to making the world a better place.
Ruby (Marketing Communication major, fourth year at UC)
I’ve worked with kids ranging from the age of four to 19, and I think something that I’m really scared about is internet access and usage for the next generation, especially with deep fakes and AI. Kids are being exposed to things they should not be seeing, and especially in the older kids I’ve met, it affects their self-esteem in a way that I don’t think should be happening. I think that if there’s anything I could do, it’d be ensuring that parents are more educated on these risks of internet usage for their kids and I’d be putting in place pillars for children to be educated on safe internet usage and on sex education early on.
Olivia (Sustainability and Spanish major, fourth year at SDSU)
My biggest passion and a lot of what drives my values is advocacy for the natural world and how to live more sustainably. I want to see a world in which the young generations thrive and live in harmony with nature. If there was one thing I could do on an individual level, I would try to educate and teach younger generations about the importance and urgency of climate change and all the beautiful and positive ways we can save our beautiful Mother Earth!
Sabrina (Psychology major, third year at ANU)
I’d focus on making housing more affordable and accessible for everyone. Right now, it feels impossible for many young people to buy a home or even afford rent. Everyone deserves a stable place to live – it’s the foundation for a healthy and secure life. Fixing the housing crisis would ease stress and give future generations a fairer start.
Samir (Computer Science major, third year at SDSU)
If I could do one thing in my own community, it would be to create more space for real conversations and action around supporting Black American communities. Not just symbolic gestures, but actual policy changes that create more opportunities in education, housing, and the job market. There was a time when Black Americans accumulated generational wealth for their families, and it was physically burned and taken from them — affecting future generations more than people realise. More people need to understand that equity benefits everyone. It’s about creating a country where Black futures are prioritised and supported, not just tolerated.
Jules (Marketing Communication & Event and Tourism Management major, fourth year at UC)
When it comes to school, I don’t want kids to be restricted to a rubric – to think that they have to follow certain criteria because that’s what defines them and their worth. This can really affect how kids view themselves and how they view education, and then I think it limits them creatively. Like when they have these big ideas they think, “Oh no, I can’t do it because it doesn’t conform to this rubric or standard that I have been taught my whole life”. I think that is something that I would try to tell kids, and in turn is going to lead to people who are a bit more confident and self-assured in who they are. Only then can they change the world for the better too.
Jaime (Linguistics major, fourth year at SDSU)
I believe encouraging and teaching the importance of empathy will help make the world a better place for the next generation. It seems as though we are currently living in a world that simply lacks empathy for others and even oneself. Even if schools began carving out just a bit of time to talk to their students about how others might feel in certain scenarios that are different from their own, I think that would be beneficial for our future.
Darcy (Marketing Communication major, fourth year at UC)
What drove me to my degree in Marketing Communications was the ability to gain the skills that will let me change people’s minds on subjects. If, through my work I can find public awareness projects that help start dialogue and showcase the cause against intolerance, I would be happy.
Christian (Business Administration major, fourth year at SDSU)
I believe the most impactful thing we can do is prioritise the health and wellness of our planet by actively working to reduce the effects of global warming. This would help ensure that future generations inherit a livable Earth — one without the constant threat of rising sea levels, intensified natural disasters, and polluted air.
Michael (Marketing Communication major, fourth year at UC)
I would try my hardest to work at making Australia a better place to live and have a fighting chance to live in. I like to think about my future children and how me or my future wife can make a difference for them and for others their age; like the next generation being able to one day afford to own a house, have access to healthcare that is affordable and one day live in a city that is super safe and raise a family of their own. While I don’t possess the skills to make that a reality now, or maybe even ever, my dream is for the next generation of Aussies to be able to have a fighting chance at life and be able to conquer the broken world that they have been thrust into. If I can’t make the world a better place for the whole generation, I hope I can at least leave a good legacy and instill love and wisdom for my future family to help save their generation.
When you reflect on the current political climate in your country, do you feel more hopeful or worried about the future, and what shapes that feeling?
Destiny (SDSU)
I’m feeling very in-between right now. I think I’m feeling less hopeful about our government and the future of our kids and how they’re going to be raised from here on out. But I mean, I hope a lot of things will be solved, particularly with freedom of speech, which has really gone down in the past few years in certain ways. People in power are saying things that should be censored but are then taken seriously. I also think the recent ‘No Kings Protest’ showed that a lot of the people who reside here are still trying to fight against bad ideals entering the community and communities around America, and would be willing to stand up for their right to freedom of speech, so it just depends.
Michael (UC)
I feel incredibly worried when I look at our Australian political space. My work leaves me very involved in this climate, so I sadly see more negativity than I do positivity. I see a current government that doesn’t truly stand for what it once did and is putting my country in debt, and then I see an opposition that is incredibly out of touch with the current world we live in and the people who inhabit it. Then we have political parties that fall on the extreme ends of both the left and the right that are so destructive and awful in both their messages and policy ideas, that it is truly laughable at the lack of good choices that are provided to us.
Olivia (SDSU)
Unfortunately, I do feel worried. There was a vast majority of our population in the United States that voted for our current president. This is tragic and scary. But, on the other side of the coin there are also strong-minded, convicted, and vibrant folks in our country that did NOT vote for him. While I am worried, and while it will be a scary next four years, I know that there are so many of us and we have each other’s backs. While the political climate is treacherous, I do believe that there is so much more to human nature and the value of human intimacy than voting for president. At the end of the day, we all have love in our hearts and hope for a bright future.
Darcy (UC)
It’s divided. Australia is a country that’s very reactive to the rest of the world. Self-interests of people with resources are often put ahead of the common people. The country uniting against the Coalition inspired some level of hope, but with the country’s previous actions on issues such as Indigenous rights (The Voice), self-expression, climate change etc., I’m worried that the election was more nationalist against the US rather than providing support towards the aforementioned causes.
Jaime (SDSU)
It is hard to say what lies in the future for the US. Day by day, we’re faced with unwelcome surprises, which unfortunately leads me to have less and less hope for the future. I tend to be more of an optimistic person, but it really depends on the severity of the damage caused by our current administration. Recently, we have had many large protests across our country that have demanded for change in our administration. I’d say that was the first period of time in a while that I have been proud of our country.
Jules (UC)
I’m going to say I feel secure. It’s not like I’m overly worried to the point of being stressed, but I’m also not wearing rose-tinted glasses. I think Australia is in a really unique position politically at the moment, where we’re going to see a big shift, especially with our next elections of independents sweeping through. When I see an independent, I know they don’t have a party to hide behind, and I think as young people many are leaning towards that, because they have to be honest and transparent. There are also concerns that I have in which Albo is going to make empty promises, but I know that a lot of people don’t realise how long it takes to act on those promises. Yes, I think that Albo has been able to do heaps for our HECS-HELP debt and yes, I think a lot of people aren’t giving him enough credit for that. But I do have concerns, particularly about Australia’s relationship with our First Nations community, and that it really needs to be restored for Australia to move forward.
Samir (SDSU)
I feel more worried than hopeful. How could I not, with all the tragedy in the world right now? It’s hard to see meaningful dialogue happening. Censorship debates like the TikTok ban also make me question how transparent our media, and the information that comes with it, really is. I feel people are becoming less empathetic and more detached than ever.
Ruby (UC)
I know in Australia right now, women hold more seats in Parliament than ever before and that is really incredible and exciting. When I think about that, I’m like, “Yes! Women are being utilised for their great ideas!”. I think I feel a little bit hopeful, but also I was really worried at the start of the year when abortion became a controversial issue in Far North Queensland. Honestly, I feel like the government says they’re going to resolve something, and then they don’t make any changes. Like seeing what’s happening in Gaza, I just haven’t seen us take any action. I guess I just don’t feel secure about any of these areas. I just feel like I’m in a sort of middle spot. Like, the government will say they’ll do all these things, but that happens every election, right?
Christian (SDSU)
I’ll always stay hopeful that one day, a leader will enter office who genuinely has the people’s best interests at heart — someone who cares more about the wellbeing of everyday Americans than the financial gains of their wealthy friends. I also believe that my generation and those younger are paying attention. For the most part, we disagree with the outdated political opinions and priorities of older generations. A recent example is “No Kings Day”, where we saw hundreds of protests across the country speaking out against President Trump’s cruel deportation policies — policies that tear apart families, targeting mothers and fathers who work tirelessly to provide for their children.
Sabrina (ANU)
I feel more worried than hopeful, mainly because real issues like housing, climate change, and Indigenous rights get ignored or politicised. It often feels like decisions are made for short-term gain, not long-term benefit. However, seeing young people get more politically active and being aware of current affairs gives me a bit of hope. I think real change is possible, but it’ll take serious pressure from the public.
Looking ahead five to 10 years from now, what’s some positive change you truly hope to see in your country?
Olivia (SDSU)
Looking ahead, I hope that this mindset begins to infiltrate our country more, that no matter who we voted for, we all want the best for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come. I hope we can see that we are all united in our country and we should all have the same freedoms. An immigrant, a person of color, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, someone from Texas to California — we are all united in the natural world in my opinion. We all live and interact with nature, and I hope, as a country, we begin to recognise this more. Also, as a granddaughter to immigrant grandparents, this issue of immigration in the United States holds a lot of heaviness in my family, so I hope that in the next five years we may value immigrants as they should be valued. Hopefully we learn from one another, learn from the environment, and live in harmony with peace and love.
Ruby (UC)
At least within the next five years, Trump will not be the president anymore. So, I feel like anything after that will hopefully be a bit better. I mean realistically for Australia, I know that all the drama they create over there definitely affects us because America’s just in everyone’s business! But specifically for Australia, I really hope the housing market looks better, because otherwise I think I’m going to live at home forever. Maybe I can renovate the garage? And it would be really nice to see some more action surrounding climate change. I’ve talked to a lot of Year 11 and 12 students who know a lot more about this than I do, and they say, “Climate change needs to come first before human rights!”, and while I think there is some truth to that, both are linked, so that would be a great priority.
Christian (SDSU)
First off, I hope Trump is no longer in office – that alone would be a step toward a more hopeful future. I’d also like to see major reform in I.C.E., specifically a shift in how they prioritise deportations. Hardworking immigrants who’ve built lives here for their families deserve a path to legal status, so they no longer have to live in fear or in the shadows. Beyond immigration, I hope we take serious, collective action to reduce global warming and end harmful practices like “drill baby drill”. I truly believe our generation is learning from the failures of the ones before us, and when our time comes to lead, we’ll be ready to make better decisions.
Darcy (UC)
Less division in our media. The political leaning and interference in the way news and events are reported is the single most influential factor on our current global division, behind the lack of responsibility held by social media companies. People distrust the media and turn to social media influencers because the political biasing means everything is reported in different contexts, leaving people with a feeling that there’s no one to rely on and driving them to parasocial relationships with potentially negative influencers. With less politicisation and bias in our media reporting, we may see trust once again grow in public institutions and the negative effect of bad faith influencers on social media wane.
Destiny (SDSU)
I guess openness in our communities, which I feel like we’re starting to already see that change. I feel like for the longest time we’ve said, “I don’t associate with the other [political] side”, and they had just a complete barrier up. And I feel like this is the first time in a while that we’ve seen people actually come together to talk about an issue, even if people don’t fully agree on it. And also, we need to get out of international affairs. I feel like when America involves themselves in international affairs, such as spreading democracy amongst Latin American countries, it doesn’t go well. If we just went fully nationalist, zero international affairs, the rest of the world would have a better time!
Jules (UC)
Well, I would love to see dental care being added to Medicare! And I hope First Nations and youth incarceration will be re-evaluated, or just incarceration in Australia will be looked at in general. I think we need to consider the Scandinavian method where it’s about rehabilitation and getting people back into the community. I would love abortions to be free, legal, and safe everywhere, for sex work to also be legal and safe, and for more laws surrounding sex workers’ safety to be put forward. Ultimately, though, I would like to see Australia make more moves in educating young people on consent, gender-based violence, and domestic violence, and creating stricter laws on these issues that will be heavily enforced.
Jaime (SDSU)
I really hope to see a change in the mindset of some of the American people. I believe that after the term of our current president ends, some people will realise that the things they voted for displeased them and will hopefully stand for change and new American ideals that value togetherness and freedom, no matter what walk of life one comes from. A select few have voted for a president who claims to “Make America great”. This select few would then come to realise that when the “greatness” comes to greet them with tariffs, raised healthcare costs, and much more — it wasn’t so great after all.
Sabrina (ANU)
I hope to see Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a stronger, permanent voice in Parliament. It’s important that Indigenous communities are genuinely heard in decisions that affect their lives, culture, and future. The Voice to Parliament would be a step toward real reconciliation, not just symbolic gestures. It would show that Australia is serious about listening, respecting, and acting on what Indigenous Australians have to say.
Samir (SDSU)
I really hope to see progress in making healthcare and housing more affordable. The gap between rich and poor keeps growing, and it’s exhausting watching basic needs become out of reach for so many. It would be great to see policies that actually prioritise the working class and equity. I feel there should be more student debt relief through targeted loan forgiveness and tuition-free community college, which would ease the financial burden on young people. Implementing strong climate legislation, like investing in public transit and clean energy jobs to reduce emissions and create economic opportunities would be great to see.
Michael (UC)
Within the next decade, I would love to see genuine positive change within the way Australians view their countr, and be proud to live here. I want to live in a country where everyone truly has a fair go, no matter what your background is, your belief system, or even if you are a new Australian. If we truly want to be equal, let’s treat ALL people equally, not just specific individuals. When my family immigrated to Australia, yes, there were some obviously old-school ways of thinking and some biases, but they flourished, conquered racism, and became proud to become Australian whilst still holding on to their heritage and ethnicity. Australia should be the greatest country ever. Let’s work together and show the world why we are the greatest place on Earth.
