By: Ava Lystad
On Wednesday morning, waking up to the news that former President Donald Trump would return to the White House for the next four years, was emotionally overwhelming for me and many others, especially the women in my life. Between school, work and daylight savings, the last few days have been nothing short of draining. Doom scrolling is at an all-time high, the urge to skip class is strong and all I want to do is jump to winter break. But alas, the world keeps spinning and we must keep our heads up. Keyword: we.
You are not alone right now, I can promise you that. A lot of people are scared, sad, uncertain and weary. You are not the only one with brain fog and the inability to focus in class. But this is all temporary, and we will get through this.
My cousin texted me on Wednesday with the simple words: “How are you doing?” I could have sent her a paragraph if I wanted to, but I just responded by saying that I have been taking the day slow. “Keep taking the day slow. And the days to follow,” she told me. Hearing that validation from her took a little bit of weight off my shoulders, and I felt much less alone.
This can be as many or as few days as you need. Spend time with your loved ones, call your family, cry to “The Man” by Taylor Swift, and maybe avoid the news for a little while. Do what you can, it is enough.
Eugene Robinson, an opinion writer for The Washington Post, wrote, “Trump is getting back into the office. Don’t let him back into your head.” This is going to be my mantra for the next few weeks and I encourage you to adopt it if it resonates. You are in control of only so much but one of them is your ability to center your thoughts. Be mindful and attentive but as it gets harder, reach out to your support system. It is okay to take life slow.
But at some point, it will be time to pull our shoulders back, stand up tall, and not let this be the end. There is still work to be done and if you want to regain a sense of control, you can partake in that. Healing is not linear, there will still be moments of hopelessness. Do not let those moments take over. Feel them and let them go. Do not let it all get stuck in your head. You still have your power and when you are ready, I encourage you to use it with dignity and grace.
Everything is temporary.