Television, film, and music alike all portray high school seniors in the same fashion. They are shown as lazy, shallow, and uninvolved with the world around them.

It’s the classic stereotype that teens live with throughout their high school years. Now, is there an validity behind it?

Well, yes.

But at the same time, there are also those who break away from this cliché.

With the presidential race heating up and the political scene intensifying, Cal High has seen an unprecedented change in the political involvement of its seniors.

Simply walking down the halls, between the whispers of gossip and Twitter “beef,” students can often hear spirited debates regarding who would make the best president of the United States after Barack Obama leaves office in 2017.

“I want someone outside of the political establishment and someone who will put America first,” senior and Trump supporter Ryan Kendroud said.

His girlfriend, Ivy Wood, quickly blurted out, “I would not ever vote for Trump.”

So, obviously, the political tension even reaches couples.There are various reasons why there is more political involvement on campus during senior year.

One reason may be that most of the class of 2016 is eligible to vote for the next president in November.

While the classes of 2008 and 2012 also had this opportunity, social media has greatly increased students’ ability to follow the recent political scene and gain knowledge about the race instantly.

By following politicians, news channels, news publications, and Donald Trump’s hair on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, students can learn exactly who each of the candidates really are.

Trump has a Twitter following of over 8.2 million users. His controversial tweets often become topics of discussion, as they have a reputation of sometimes showing his fellow candidates in a negative light.

Every tweet referencing another politician is preceded by an adjective. For example, he calls Hillary Clinton “crooked,” Bernie Sanders “crazy,” and Ted Cruz “lyin’.”

Clinton uses her Twitter account, followed by 6.2 million users, to do her fair share of candidate bashing as well.

Some tweets discuss how terrible Trump’s foreign policy would be and that he would cut taxes on the wealthiest of Americans.

In the past, information like this was only available to hear on television or read in the newspaper after they were said in a speech or press conference. But they are now available instantly, with new comments and info being posted online multiple times per day.

The class of 2016 is the first class, without an incumbent to elect, that is able to vote and that has this immense access to political insight directly from the candidates through social media.

This isn’t to say that every senior tries be all that politically involved, but Cal is inarguably experiencing a new era of it.