The 2016 presidential election is over, but the residue of its final results Tuesday night lingers on campus.

In perhaps the most surprising election in recent memory, Republican candidate Donald Trump was voted the 45th president of the United States. His victory almost certainly slows the progress we hoped for from Democrat Hillary Clinton, whom Trump defeated. We endorsed Clinton earlier this semester in an editorial and felt our advocation reflected the campus preference.

Wednesday morning, we ran an editorial headlined, “Eight years. One night. Everything undone.” We again thought our words matched the emotions of our campus. 

Based on an eye test alone, those same emotions spilled over onto campus this morning. A week removed from Clinton’s rally at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, the student atmosphere was unsettling and quiet. Students voiced displeasure with a Trump presidency in various forms today. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication hosted a forum to talk about the results of the election, and those who attended shared touching, emotional testimonials. On our front page today, we covered a “Wall of Love,” hosted by the Ohio Student Association. And we’re certain others gathered to vent about the election.

We empathize with these students and stress the importance of their actions. Like it or not, Trump is the president-elect of the United States. He’ll start his term in January. We’re calling for students to relentlessly continue the support for the social justice we hope to see in the country. If we feel any candidate won’t champion the causes we support, we must rally for those ourselves.

For those who voted for Clinton in this election, remember: Regardless of what tools Trump will have at his disposal, he won’t have the green light on every single thing he preached at his rallies. Clinton supporters must also remember that nobody voted in this election with the intention to make this country worse. If you cast a ballot for any of the candidates — excluding entirely fruitless write-ins like “Harambe” — you sought for reform in the best interest of yourself or others whom you love. Regardless of your stance, convincing those across the aisle in a clearly divided nation is going to be tougher than ever. Staying steadfast in developing the right answers for our country is the best thing we can do.