Washington ( CNN ) -- Carl Eppolito voted for Mitt Romney and does n't have a job . But he 's spending his money to go to Barack Obama 's inauguration . So is John Trowell . The recent college grad has been selling his blood plasma for $ 40 a week to afford the trip . And while Camar Robinson , an eighth-grade English teacher in New York , is in better financial shape , teaching is n't exactly a high-paying job . Still , he saved for the Greyhound bus ticket to get from New York to the nation 's capital . They are all 20-somethings who are in Washington for Obama 's second inauguration , despite the costs during a shaky economy and their political differences . Each of them feels his voice matters to an administration that will shape the future . `` I believe it is very important for politicians to listen to people our age . We communicate in a much different way than generations past , '' said Eppolito , 28 . The number of e-mail blasts from the Obama campaign and the president 's social media presence suggest the White House knows that . So do comments from one senator in The Washington Post about why there will be extra temporary cell phone towers during Monday 's events . `` Last time around , the sheer number of people ... overloaded the system and many cell phones in the crowd just could n't get a signal , '' said Sen. Charles Schumer of New York , who chairs the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies , in a statement . `` The inauguration is a once-in-a-lifetime experience ... so we 're putting measures in place to make sure people can call , tweet , Facebook and document their experience on smart phones and social media . '' Eppolito , an MBA student at Villanova University , said he 'll be tweeting about his Washington experience even though his candidate lost . `` The change of heart is not necessarily one of agreement or change in political views , but rather one of support for my president . ... I feel it is terribly important that we come together , unified . '' He 's been saving for weeks for the trip from Philadelphia . He pulled together $ 15 for the ticket and hopped the MegaBus from Philadelphia to Washington for the short trip . He suspects most Americans have doubts about Obama 's political agenda , but `` respect and support are different than agreement and doubts , '' Eppolito said . As an unemployed student , he is ready for change in the economy . Like Eppolito , Trowell knows the anxiety that comes with trying to save money . His Facebook friends are vocal about the taxes coming out of their paychecks . He 's working more hours to make ends meet . He even planned to carpool with his mother and siblings from South Carolina for the big event . He used to direct the money he got from selling blood to his education fund . Since November , he 's been setting it aside to get from South Carolina to the inauguration . `` I have to work some magic to get off ( work ) , '' said Trowell , 25 . `` It 's definitely worth it . '' Robinson , thinking about his students in New York , really wants to watch Obama take the oath of office . `` In my experience , presidents are about one of two things : power or people . ... Although I 'm young , ( Obama ) seems to be the first who is genuinely committed to people , '' Robinson said . He tells his students that they are a part of a legacy and requires them to keep up with world events . `` They need to start looking outside of themselves and their country , '' said Robinson , 29 . `` They have the power and the voices that can steer this country a certain way . '' Robinson , Trowell and Eppolito seem certain about the importance of younger voices in political decisions . `` We are connected . We are instantaneous , and we are the generation of the social media boom , '' Eppolito said . `` We have defined what it means for a cause or message to go viral , and are driven by the ability to do so . For that , politicians should listen closely to the pulse of the next generation ... now . ''
One recent college grad sold blood plasma to raise money to attend the inauguration . Another 20-something was a Romney supporter but wanted to be there to witness history . They feel strongly about the importance of younger voices in political decisions .