Yeah dude, politics are not worth losing your mind over...easier said than done when you get older like me, but I'm trying to just let it go and enjoy life as much as possible. I bet not a lot of people your age are saying "Cheers" these days...unless they are in the U.K. or something. I started saying "Cheers" when I was in high school. One day when I was over at a friend's house, whose parents were never, ever home (always travelling - so we partied there whenever we desired), and one day there was a note on the kitchen counter from my friend's brother and it read:
"Hey dudes, went to get some cold cuts, be back in an hour.
Cheers,
Rones"
Since then, I've been saying "cheers" as my standard greeting; even in business. People seem to think it's an exotic way to say hello or goodbye or congrats or salud or whatever really...I think you'd do well to continue using it and see what your friends/colleagues/classmates say about it. Oh, and I bet your parents will think it's pretty weird.
Cheers!