On 12:01 AM on October 1st, 2025, the United States government shut down. The idea of the government “shutting down” sounds terrifying, but it is not unprecedented. America has faced this situation many times before, the most recent being in 2021. It is important to understand the causes of the shutdown, and how it affects not only us, but the country.
The shutdown happened because the government was unable to meet the October 1st deadline for a budget. The government runs on a fiscal year, which runs October 1st to September 30th. At the end of this year, Congress is supposed to create 12 appropriation bills, which fund different parts of government by creating various budgets. When this deadline is not met, the government shuts down, as the agencies cannot use money legally without authorization from Congress. Congress was unable to meet this deadline due to various disagreements over issues such as healthcare and infrastructure.
The Democrats are fighting to extend healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which prevents families from facing rising insurance costs. However, Republicans argue these issues should be debated separately. By not adding the subsidies to the funding bill, Republicans are blocking them from currently being renewed. Cuts to programs like Medicaid and other social services were proposed, and are still being argued over. Neither Democrats nor Republicans are willing to compromise, which means the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster are not there.
As a reaction to the shutdown, the Trump administration froze billions of dollars in infrastructure projects in cities such as Chicago and New York. The administration froze $2.1 billion dollars for Chicago infrastructure projects (Reuters) and $18 billion for a new rail tunnel under the Hudson river and the extension of the city’s Second Avenue subway (apnews).
How does the shutdown affect us? First, it is important to know that while a government shutdown can seem scary, it has happened before. Since 1976, the government has been shut down 10 times, the longest one lasting 35 days in 2018, again under Trump’s presidency. The major conflict then was the US/Mexico border wall, where Democrats did not support funding $5 billion to it. A result of this shutdown was 380,000 government workers being furloughed (a temporary, unpaid leave). The current shutdown will have a similar effect, with an estimated 750,000 employees being furloughed, with hundreds of thousands of government employees continuing work without pay (Federal news network).
The shutdown has an impact on teens as well. Many students worry that FAFSA and student loans will be affected, especially as college application deadlines creep near. Despite the U.S Education Department already facing cuts from the Trump administration and the government shutdown adding more pressure, this issue will remain fairly untouched. The Office of Federal Student Aid, which helps 9.9 million students receive federal aid for school, plans on furloughing many employees, however student loan borrowers do not work directly with these employees (apnews). Also, FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is considered a core part of the government, and despite the furlough of most staff, forms will continue to remain open, and students are urged to continue applying before the deadline. It is likely that customer service may be limited, but AI chatbots on their website remain readily available, and for extra help students should contact their high school’s financial aid offices.
More effects from the shutdown include reduced funding for schools on federal lands, such as military bases and Native American reservations. Certain schools run by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) are shutting down sports events and school dances. DoDEA sponsors these teams’ ability to travel, so teams cannot travel to competitions. Until funding is restored, things will remain this way (Stars and Stripes).
So no, the government shutdown will not affect the shipment of your Shein Halloween costume, however it is important to know why this is happening, and the people being affected by it. It’s been over a week since the shutdown, and unfortunately the conflict continues, with no current budget or end in sight.