To put it mildly, we are living in challenging times. Every day, it seems like there’s a new truckload of crap being express shipped to our door with no signs of stopping. Minnesota has garnered an overwhelming amount of national and global attention in the last few months, and there isn’t any reason to think things are going to cool down anytime soon.
Part of the problem is that we can’t avoid what’s happening. The news is everywhere – social media, Google, our emails – and when it’s not on our own device, it’s coming from a friend. Part of living in an information age is that you get all of the information, not just what you’re looking for. It’s hard to tune out the negativity and the noise, because it’s what gets pushed the hardest.
Being a student in a time like this is a unique challenge, too. This isn’t the first period of upheaval in the United States, but it is one of the biggest since the internet has taken over every facet of our lives. For example, during the Civil War, people knew what was happening, but information was limited to the daily paper. People could talk to their friends or check the time without seeing a “BREAKING NEWS” headline.
If there were a feasible way to disconnect myself from the constant cycle of news and negative information, I would do that in a heartbeat. I would love it if the only way I learned about things happening in the world was during a time I set aside, that I didn’t have live updates and notifications sent to me dozens of times a day.
But that’s not the world we live in. We live in the world of technology and trying to pretend otherwise is unhelpful. We must instead focus on what we can do and what we can control. We cannot eliminate the noise but we can manage it and focus on the productive parts.
As someone who pays [JUMP]close attention to the news, I’ve been trying to figure out the best way to do this for a long time, and while by no stretch of the imagination am I perfect, I have come across some tips that have helped me stay grounded.
The first, and most important step to avoid shutting down, is to realize that the overload is intentional. Senior Trump advisor Steve Bannon was quoted in 2019 as saying, “All we have to do is flood the zone. Every day, we hit them with three things. They’ll bite on one, and we’ll get all of our stuff done: bang, bang, bang.” Since day one, the Trump administration’s strategy has been to overwhelm people with a tidal wave of statements, misinformation and actions.
The best way to combat this is to pick out what truly matters. I understand the desire to be vigilant, but part of vigilance is discernment:being able to distinguish the real threat and the noise. By focusing our attention on what is actually important to us, we save a lot of time and brainpower for action.
Action matters, too. It may feel like sitting in a room and keeping up with every move Trump makes is necessary. But at the end of the day, it only keeps us stressed and upset. Being able to get up and do anything is something that has always been super helpful to me. It doesn’t even have to take very long. Things that I like to do are to do a couple of pushups or to draw a little picture of an animal or something. According to people who are a lot smarter than me, doing something completely unrelated resets the fight-or-flight response a headline may have triggered.
Once we do that, it feels a lot easier to break free from this cycle. The first step is always the hardest so make it a small one. The next ones will be easier.
When we have time, it’s always a good idea to go out and do something for our community. This can mean things we normally think about, like protesting and doing something where you can see the impact is also really important. As Carleton students, we have access to a lot of programs like Project Friendship or the Food Recovery Network. Seeing the impact you make in your immediate community can help your mental state immensely. If you feel like you want to do more right now, committing to help out one time a week at a volunteer organization can be a good start.
Connection with other people is another great way to improve your mental state in times of crisis. You are not the only person who feels the way you do. If you have friends who could be interested in community action, invite them to come with you. If not, there will be people there who share values and interests with you, and you can build connections that way.
Even outside of aid organizations, community gathering is an incredible way to be happier and less stressed. Humans are social creatures and setting aside time to do fun things with other people is not a cop-out. It’s an essential part of living a healthy life. Going to your favorite club or activity instead of doing homework can (at times) be a good thing.
No matter how we spend our time, taking life one step at a time is important, especially when things become overwhelming. We must focus on what we can do in the moment to make things better. Only then can we make progress.