Children of the 1990s have only known two presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Teenagers of the 2000s have only really known one reason to vote: P. Diddy told them to.

While the "Rock the Vote" campaign of the 2004 presidential campaign did increase voting among young people, its biggest legacy is as the first large-scale collision of this generation's pop icons and its distrust of the presidency. It was a big moment.

Back in 2004, no matter how politically active, a 15-year-old couldn't change the outcome of the election. Four years later, those 15-year-olds are now eligible to vote for the first time. And 2007 and 2008 have shown that whatever this generation is called - Generation Y, the Now Generation - as far as the 2008 presidential election goes, they are ready to make their voices heard. A number of college students from the Bismarck-Mandan area interviewed for this story reacted to their "first" election.

"I think that it's amazing that the first election I get to vote in is the most important election in a long time," said Erik Peterson, a sophomore at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. "I hope other young people agree and take their right to vote to heart. Even in such a small state, our votes count and I hope other young people make a solid decision."

"Our country is going through an interesting time right now," said Joe Cleary, a sophomore at North Dakota State University in Fargo, "and I think it's great that I get to be apart in changing the direction our country might end up going."

Enthusiasm is great, but it doesn't mean a thing unless people actually vote. On the eve of Super Tuesday, which includes the North Dakota caucus, knowledgeable votes are important.

Even through the actual election is still months away, "I'm fairly confident in who I would vote for if it were held tomorrow," said Peterson, "but things can change."

"I am getting more interested as the days go by," said Heidi Beth Christen, a freshman at Minnesota State University-Moorhead, "but definitely not too much yet. I do plan on voting, but if I had to vote today I wouldn't be completely ready."

"If I had to vote today, I would be more than ready," said Zoey DeWolf, a freshman at Northern Arizona University.

Still, not everyone is tuned in.

"From encounters on campus to my community, I have found that many young people approach politics with levels of disdain and disregard," said Shawn Affolter, a freshman at NDSU. "In choosing a particular candidate, especially as a young voter, finding the right historical context and real-world perspectives is not an easy feat, but must be addressed.

"I think it will be difficult for the leading contenders on both sides to maintain the intense interest in their message that was generated in 2007 for another 10 months," said Affolter.

DeWolf said she believes that young people will show older generations that they are ready to accept their civic responsibility: "Candidates like Barack Obama have inspired young people to participate, along with shows like 'The Daily Show' and 'The Colbert Report.' I think we'll see a huge turnout in young voters."

"Candidates are tapping into the tech-savvy lives of young people more than before. Naturally, they will get more attention in the youthful media," said Affolter.

That signals that young people may get involved in voting at historic rates this November. P. Diddy would approve.