How To: Stay Politically Active and Sane

Often, there is a lot of pressure amongst our generation to be very involved politically. Whether this involves speaking up on social media or contesting anything anyone ever says that is disagreed with. Topics in politics are so beyond heavy and the burnout amongst those who attempt to stay engaged is incredibly high. It is beyond draining for so many, taking such a high toll on one’s mental health. Many people take a political backseat, out of fear of criticism from others. Regardless, no matter the backlash, it is essential to face burnout head-on in order to be the best advocate you can be in the future. 

Vote

If you read no further in this article I must remind you that voting is one of the easiest and most effective ways to be active. There is a reason why we are constantly told it is our civic duty. If you are in college and cannot vote at home, request a mail-in ballot. We are days away from voting day, and there are many high-stake elections on both the federal and state level across the country. No matter which way you are voting, be sure that you do. Part of voting is also researching your candidates and not just voting based on party affiliation-a quick google search can give you tons of information about your candidate’s views. If you have yet to register, https://www.vote.org/ has all the resources you need to do so anywhere in the country.

Take a break from social media

Our generation floods our social media profiles with information. A lot of it is helpful. A lot of it is incorrect.  More often than not though, it is overwhelming and wholly too much. While social media is a great way to unite like-minded people, sometimes that is all it does. Social media creates echo chambers of beliefs that can become redundant and frankly annoying. People need to be impassioned and care about politics but shoving it down their throats constantly causes a lot of people to reject it altogether. You will have a significantly better effect by talking to people in your own life than people you do not know.

change the way you show support

Support in politics comes in a few ways. Actions such as voting, protesting, holding signs, and registering others to vote. Financial donations to campaigns you believe in are a passive way to be involved. Talking to family members and having political discussions is an impactful way to be involved. I find that sharing perspectives is a much more beneficial and productive way to have political discourse rather than approaching discussions with the intent to change someone’s mind.

Educating yourself

Politics used to be and still can be a very personal sector of society.  When you are learning about your beliefs, and opening yourself up to new ones, there is no need to involve anyone else. When you become educated and impassioned with your beliefs by yourself, you are likely to be able to back them up better.

You do not have to be an Instagram story warrior

There is nothing wrong with it, but as was discussed before, you can take a break from socials.  This does not just mean not looking at it, but it also means that your entire political ideology does not have to be portrayed across your Instagram story every day. There is a lot of pressure to do so, there is this false notion that if you do not then you secretly hold beliefs that go against the grain. However, many people do not know enough about politics to really have such public displays of political allegiance. It also opens you up to arguments with random people which adds added stress.

Take a week off from the news

You may read that subtitle and think “worst advice ever.”  I would not recommend skipping out on the news in the week of an election.  However, sometimes the news just becomes too violent, too sad, or just too repetitive. It is a privilege to be able to step away, however sometimes for your own mental well-being, you need to.  t will still be there next week, you can always catch up later. There is nothing wrong with taking a break from how you obtain your news.

Pick one thing to focus on

 You do not have to be an expert on everything. In fact, it is incredibly hard to be. Pick something that you are most passionate about, learn everything you can about it, and do not over-exhaust yourself trying to know everything about everything.

Be active in the classroom

This can be hard, but in class, you are around others who have a similar knowledge basis, thus you are not up against experts on social media. You also typically have some moderator in the form of a professor, as well as a number of other classmates to back you up or challenge you both of which are beneficial to be a better political participant.

Find a new news source

Whether this is a new newspaper or an alternate channel, sometimes hearing news from a different perspective can help keep you engaged. This could be a foreign source, a different network, or some other out-of-the-ordinary source, a new voice, perspective or look may help.

make consumption a part of your routine

This may not work for everyone, but for some people who hate having to look at the news, this may help a little.  Like bruising your teeth or taking a shower, make watching the news and learning about politics a scheduled part of your day.  Especially if you are someone who likes the flow of a routine or a checklist, scheduling a time and then checking it off, leaving it till the next day allows you to anticipate when you consume it and put it away when its scheduled time is up.

Hopefully, something throughout this is helpful, not only when reading but also when you apply one of these strategies to your activism.  More than anything, please take away that what you are doing is enough, no matter how big or how small. Every little contribution, to whatever side is helpful.  Your political engagement does not have to look the same as those around you.  Finally, have grace for everyone-no matter how active you think someone is.  You never know what struggles they are going through or how their activism affects them. 

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• how-to
• politics
• self-help