On Sept. 26 the first presidential debate between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton sparked controversy among viewers, but it also provided them with more insight as to who each of the candidates are.

Much of the media focus during the past year has been on the presidential primaries and now the general election, but the public, especially college students, should be paying attention to the debates as well.

It is important to research the candidates, but debates offer additional information to what you read online and see in campaign rallies.

Debates put the candidates directly head-to-head — they are not fighting each other through social media platforms or advertisements on T.V. but in person, which allows for more authentic discussion.

The debate from this week showed us how Clinton and Trump interact with one another and how they handle opposition and criticism from each other.

The environment of debates is tense and filled with pressure, so watching candidates face opposition in front of the nation watching their every move can be a good indicator as to how they will handle similar challenges as president.

Many speculated as to who was acting “more presidential” and who was more prepared on the issues.

Any one person can put out a good platform and give inspiring speeches at rallies, but debates actually test the candidates on their beliefs on various policies and how well they understand what is going on around the country.

Though we believe presidential behavior is a valuable trait, what really matters are their stances on issues, their plans for the future and how to go about achieving them.

When watching debates, really listen to what the candidates are saying and how they plan to execute these ideas and goals.

The U.S. needs a leader who will enact their policies and make changes for the better.

These debates offer the general public the chance to see how these candidates will act as president but also see what they would do as president.

Knowing who these candidates are is important, but their policies and ideas are crucial to understand when electing a president.

Students should take the time to actually listen and watch these debates before voting this November.