Donald Trump defied almost all media predictions when he was elected president of the United States last month.

The reaction to this event was truly indicative and revealing of the ideological and racial divisions that exist amongst the people of America.

Some are excited for what they see as a new American era, a return to the former “greatness.” But others have great reservations about the new upcoming presidency.

Many minorities and marginalized people have specifically begun to express fear for the future of their lives and existences.

“It’s scary to know that the leader of our country is someone so openly against minorities,” said senior Saadhana Deshpande, president of Gender-Sexuality Alliance club. “Many people have come to me because they’re scared of what the next four years will look like for them.”

Protests, both peaceful and violent, quickly broke out in various cities, including San Ramon, and lasted for several days after the results were announced.

Thousands of people marched, shut down highways, and organized walkouts to protest against the president-elect.

In fact, according to SFGate News, In the Bay Area, a protest consisting of about 7,000 people in Oakland on the day of the announcement quickly escalated to violence as protesters smashed shop windows, lit small fires, and assaulted police officers who had been spraying others with tear gas, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The number of reported violent hate crimes has surged following the election as many African Americans, Latinos, Muslims, LGBTQ+, and other minority groups have been targeted.

The Southern Poverty Law Center counted 867 cases of hateful harassment or intimidation in the United States in the 10 days following the election.

According to CNN, hate crimes against Muslim Americans rose 67 percent in 2015, when Trump’s words became integrated into common media. This number has risen significantly since Trump was elected.

Shortly after the election, Suicide and depression hotlines were flooded with calls from people who were terrified for their future.

A statement made by the Crisis Text Line itself revealed that it had received eight times the usual number of texts following the election.

Several incidents have been reported of Cal students using slurs, verbally harassing other students, and even vandalizing school property with hateful messages.

“I saw a group of boys pointing at me from across the quad, and one of them yelled ‘F–k the f—-t trans!’” said sophomore Kiernan Hanson, “I didn’t want to look at them because I wanted to pretend that I didn’t hear it.”

This isn’t something unique to Cal. Numerous school s are experiencing similar occurrences following the election.

At Monte Vista High School in Danville, racist graffiti was found in the men’s restroom. According to KRON 4 News, The graffiti read “Whites” above one urinal and “Colored” above the other, closely reflecting the multiple incidents of racist graffiti that happened at Cal.

Cal students haven’t been quiet about these issues, either. Between 150 to 200 students participated in a walkout on Nov. 10, when they marched off campus to protest the election and hateful behavior of some students.

Organized by senior Danaka Katovich, students walked out just before the start of fifth period and peacefully marched along the Iron Horse Trail to City Hall.

Many students held signs which read “love trumps hate”, “Black Lives Matter”, among other sayings.

Some students believe that the school district hasn’t effectively addressed the issues that have come up following the election.

“The school district isn’t doing enough.” said Deshpande. “In fact, they’ve barely done anything at all.”

Despite the protests, many people are excited to finally see a potential change in the way the country is run.

According to the Pew Research Center of U.S. Politics and Policy, 96 percent of Trump supporters say that his election makes them feel hopeful, and 74 percent say that his election makes them feel proud.

Not all hateful incidents are spurred by Trump supporters. According to CNN, a man in Chicago reportedly was beaten as a bystander yelled, “You voted Trump!” Two men in Connecticut were arrested over assault allegations from a Trump supporter.

The overall climate of Cal has changed following the election, no matter of the opinion of the individual as the country has become more divided than ever.

Many Cal students feel attacked, targeted, and unwelcome. The next four years could be difficult ones for students and teachers alike.