My head ached at the library as I tried to focus on homework while scrolling through content and friends’ stories about the 2024 presidential election on Instagram and TikTok. I just voted for the first time earlier that day, and I couldn’t concentrate on homework because I was too focused on checking the results online. As the night went on, Donald Trump’s electoral votes kept climbing with each page refresh. Overwhelmed, I decided to sleep it off — only to wake up to results that shocked me.
Since President Joe Biden stepped down from the election race and tapped in Vice President Kamala Harris, I was ecstatic. I was more ecstatic to learn that she chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. As a proud Minnesotan, I spent months bragging to my friends and peers about the wonders Walz has done for Minnesota — and how he’d do the same for the country. Millions, including me, were eager to see Harris make history as the first Black woman president. But after Trump was projected as the winner, I walked to class the next morning feeling emotionally drained, upset, and confused.
Although Harris and Walz had limited time to campaign nationwide, I truly thought the proof was in the pudding. I believed America was ready to make history — with its first female Black president, a leader who would address our needs, rather than to “go back” to what it was under Trump’s administration. The results confirmed that America wasn’t ready for change, and we saw a different history that left many, including me, upset and distraught.
However, I’m learning that in times like these, it’s crucial to prioritize well-being and destress. Here are five things I’ve done to cope with the 2024 presidential election results.
Getting off that d*nm phone
As a first-year journalism major, I feel inclined to stay on top news-breaking events like this. As someone passionate about politics and social issues, it’s tempting to scroll through social media, see my friends’ and the world’s reactions and like or repost everything I see. But with each piece of election-related content, I felt a growing physical and emotional ache, overwhelmed by the future of our nation. So, I decided to stay off social media until my feed wasn’t flooded with election content. This helped me avoid over-stimulating myself with political coverage and constant opinions, and stopped me from compulsively refreshing my feed. Plus, I have work to do: it’s finals season.
Talking about it with someone
It’s understandable to have opinions on how the election went and how it should’ve gone, but it’s more important for me to let them out with a trusted family member, friend, peer or adult in your life. I got to talk about my feelings and frustrations to my friends, older sister, my academic adviser and my journalism professor, and it relieved so much of my stress and negative feelings. Talking about it with a trusted someone gave me a safe space to process my emotions, gain some perspective, and made me feel supported without the pressures of social media.
Distracting myself by doing something productive
Doing things like isolating myself in the library studying (I mainly did this), spending time with friends, talking to my sister on the phone and attending school events also helped me get my mind from the election results. Not only did it recharge me from stressful news, but it also forced me to be present, connecting with others and focusing on the moment. Honestly speaking, it was a bit difficult at first to focus on work, as my mind was still throbbing from the results. But after I did the last two coping strategies, it helped me get back to being productive.
Accepting it and moving on/practicing mindfulness
Personally, this helped me a lot to politically destress. I took a Relaxation and Meditation class my senior year of high school, and one of the main tools I’ve used ever since is to acknowledge the feelings and thoughts I have, and to let them go. Holding onto them isn’t doing me any good, so why hold onto them? Now, I know this is easier said than done, and I can’t just “let go” of the fact that a convicted felon will be the next president for my entire college career. But, practicing this tool helped me to acknowledge my emotions without judgment, which helped prevent emotional burnout.
And as far as “accepting it,” I don’t mean I agreed with the results, but recognize that they are out of my control. Once the results sank in, I adopted the mindset of just getting through Trump’s second term so that he couldn’t run for office again. Accepting the outcome as it was propelled me to move on. Although it wasn’t what I wanted, I reminded myself that we got through it before, and I started to believe we could do it again.
Continue living by my just morals and values
This coping mechanism of mine ties to the last one. To be honest, we live in an unjust world and the political system can be seen as unfair. But I believe in an unjust system, I should continue living by my just morals to improve society. This is something I strive to do every day. Practicing this helps me acknowledge that I can’t control everything politically, but what I can control is the difference I make in my environment by how I treat others. Showing up for my friends and family, just as they did for me, is one way I can positively impact my community.
(Honorable Mention) Utilize campus resources
Ok, personally, I didn’t use this, but I wish I did because it’s another great way I could’ve de-stressed. Here at Northwestern University, we were sent out lots of resources, safe spaces and even small event advertisements throughout the week to get students through the hard times. It was a nice reassurance to know that my school cared about the well-being of their students processing mixed emotions at the time.
Now that we’re halfway through November, my social media feed isn’t as politics-heavy as before. But that doesn’t mean millions of people, including me, are worried about January approaching. Even though I’ve managed to relax over time, I still get anxious about what his next term will look like. Still, I remind myself that staying proactive and grounded is the way to face the uncertainty ahead.