by Adedayo Ademuwagun

The coming election would’ve been history by now if it wasn’t for the postponement. But let’s face it. There could have been a war if it wasn’t for the postponement.

The good thing is that the mood in the country is a lot lighter now and people are quietly going about their business while they look forward to the decision day. In about 2 days from now we’ll be lining up in front of those green and white rubber boxes to elect our next president.

However, here are five things you should do before the big day.

1. The candidates

How much do you know about Buhari or Jonathan?

A lot of folks root for one of these two men and condemn the other without having really learned about both of them.

Now that the election is 10 days away, see it as a chance to learn more about whom you want to vote. Get to know what’s happening. Listen to them talk. Read the newspapers. Check the records. Look at the numbers.

Don’t just rely on what people are saying badly or nicely about a candidate. Don’t follow the multitude. Do your own homework and make sure the person you intend to vote is really worth your vote.

2. The big day

On election day you just have to pop down to your polling booth, stick around for a few hours to do your vote and then you’re done, right?

You know it’s probably not that simple for everyone. Some people live far from their polling booth and will need to plan how they’ll get there in time so they can do their vote and move on with the day.

Remember movement will be restricted on election day. You probably won’t be able to drive around. How will you get to your booth? What time will you do so? Is it possible to check the polling unit to be sure it’s safe and there’ll be no problems? These are things you need to consider to forestall last minute issues that might complicate the day for you.

3. The history

Most young people who’re so zealous about this election don’t know how it’s significant in our history. They don’t know where we’re coming from and how it relates to the upcoming election. They don’t know the history.

So if you can relate to that, perhaps it’s a chance for you to educate yourself on some history so you can make more informed choices in this election and the subsequent ones, and also so you can better understand what’s happening right now and where we’re heading beyond this election.

4. Beyond voting

People think their vote will decide who will be the next president on May 29, but that’s an illusion. Your one vote will not change a thing.

You can go to the polling booth to vote or you can just sit in your house to watch House of Cards or Papa Ajasco. The election will get on fine without you.

It’s good to vote, but it’s better to think beyond the voting if you want to see real change in the country. This year is another turning point for us as a nation. It’s also a time for us as citizens to reflect on our role in nation building, how we’ve contributed to the process so far and how we can still contribute in the near future. These things can make a bigger difference than simply walking to a booth and casting a ballot.

5. Your outlook

Some people would rather go fishing than vote in this election. That’s how pissed they are with the system.

They feel the country is finished and they just don’t see why they should waste their time voting.

If that’s your thinking, then maybe this postponement is a chance for you to rethink your perception about our situation and try to brighten your outlook. It may not be easy because there’s so much negativity out there, but remember there’s also a lot of positive things happening in our country.

We’ve got a million reasons to look forward to a better future. Sometimes we just need to change the way we look at things in order to get better results.

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Connect with the writer on Twitter: @_Adedayo_