On Thursday, I will vote in a general election for the first time in my life, and I couldn't be more excited about it. I've been following the election news more closely than my girlfriend follows the X Factor and the various relationships of Katie Price. And even though, for the moment, I live in the safest of safe Labour seats, I still feel it's my duty to vote.
And it's a shame so few young people feel the same. I understand -- many young people seem to feel disillusioned, dispirited, or plain uninterested in politics.
But I don't. It's hard to imagine many things more gripping than an impassioned debate of ideas, a fierce contest for the hearts and minds of undecided voters, and to see it all on television 24/7.
The televised debates were, in my opinion, the best thing to happen to British politics for a long time. Not only did they essentially turn this election into a genuine three-horse race and electrify the Liberal Democrat party for the first time since the 1920s, but they also attracted millions of viewers and sparked debate not only among passionate followers of politics but the ordinary man and woman on the street (or in the computer cluster, at least).
As yet I'm still undecided who to vote for. What I really wanted to do was join and volunteer for a political party, but I genuinely can't decide between the three parties. I thought I might just donate a fiver to each and call it a wash, but decided that would be a waste of ten pounds.
But it's good to have parties competing for my vote. It's good that this election is more one of policy than of sleaze, trying to be the best of three alternatives rather than the lesser of two evils.
It's good that more people are engaging with politics. It's even better that a lot of those are young people like myself.
And no doubt when I cross that box on Thursday, it will feel good. Decisions are made by those who show up, and I want to be a part of it.