As I was walking down State Street during Welcome Week, I noticed a truck driving by with a “Trump 2024” flag hanging off its trunk. Subtly eyeing my new roommate, I tried to decipher her reaction to the display. Noticing the crinkle of her nose and roll of her eyes, I felt an immediate wave of relief.

If her reaction were different, I likely would have questioned whether our budding friendship, one that appeared to be going smoothly in the few days we’d lived together, would continue to develop into a genuine connection. This occurrence raised an increasingly relevant question, one amplified by the rapid polarization of the U.S. political landscape: Should political differences impact our friendships, or even the potential for one?

It is natural for individuals to hold differing stances

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