Take a deep breath, it’s over.

 

With republicans taking historic national wins, and democrats narrowly winning local elections, some are celebrating, some are devastated, some are worn out, and some are just happy the ads are finally gone.

 

If you’re one of those worn out or devastated people, you are far from alone. For students, it is stressful to reckon with all these emotions in the midst of classes and upcoming exams. If you connect with that description, these strategies may be helpful for you.

 

Take a Break from Social Media

 

Social media updates everybody 24/7 on the latest, and no matter where you scroll, you may find yourself bombarded with election related news, opinions, excitements, and sorrows. 

 

Even though it seems difficult, it may be helpful to take breaks from platforms like Instagram. If you're worried about missing something, there are ways you can keep yourself informed while taking time away from doom scrolling on Tiktok or Reels. One way you can get the jist of the news without overwhelming yourself is through news roundup podcasts such as The Headlines by The New York Times or Apple News Today.

 

Practice Empathy, Kindness, and Constructive Communication

 

If you’re feeling heated, perhaps it might be good to avoid confrontation altogether until you have a chance to clear your head. However, if clashing with family and friends is seemingly unavoidable, for the sake of your own peace, practicing understanding, listening, and kindness can help you avoid a heated and stressful situation. 

 

Go into every situation with an open mind, consider all options, think before you speak,[1]  be kind even to those you can’t politically connect with. If you feel yourself boiling, protect your peace and remove yourself from that conversation.

 

On top of that, spend time with your like-minded or understanding friends and family. Make time for people in your life that bring your spirits up.

 

Just Breathe

 

If the world feels fast-paced and chaotic, it may be beneficial to press pause. There are lots of breathing exercises and guided meditations out there that you could try out! 

 

For example, sitting down with your feet flat on the floor, take two big, quick breaths in so that your lungs are full of air. Then, blow the air out as slowly as possible in a small stream. 

 

There are plenty of guided meditation podcasts on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, such as Calm and Headspace. Personally, I recommend The Morning Ritual with Lilly Balch, which has a good mixture of meditation episodes and educational episodes on self-care.

 

Be Creative

 

You have all these pent up feelings of uncertainty, grief, and fear, why not channel those feelings into art? If you consider yourself a creative person, or even if you typically don’t, writing, music, art, and other forms of creative expression can be a healthy place to work through or to cope with distressing emotions.

 

In general, you can try focusing on activities or hobbies that make you happy and calm, whether that’s reading, shooting hoops, going thrifting, or taking nature walks.

 

Be Active in Your Community

 

For some, it might be a good idea to feel involved politically or otherwise in your community. You can join local advocacy and volunteer groups affiliated with your political party. Or, if you want to be active without politics, you can simply join volunteer efforts for different things around your community, such as cleanups and animal shelters.

 

Some people need to disconnect and calm down with meditation or art, and some people need to keep themselves busy and continue to make an impact on the world through volunteering and advocacy. Everyone is different, but whichever way you choose to handle the end of election season, remember that you did everything that you could for what you believe in, and that’s something to be proud of.

 

There are plenty of resources out there for those who need it. NMC offers counseling services, and if you’re looking for a community, there are many clubs you can join. The suicide and crisis helpline is 988 and is available 24/7. For LGBTQ+ individuals, organizations like the Trevor Project have resources to help with emotional distress.

Add the word and after speak,