How we're coping
It's a week past election day, and the emotions and reactions in response to the night of November 8th are still in high gear. We, at Blog, encourage everyone to be better allies, to look into what happened, to focus on bits of hope, to attend protests, walkouts, workshops, conferences, discussions, and to continue to educate ourselves and one another about the structures that exist in this nation. "What we're feeling" this week is complicated, which is why this week's column is dedicated to how we're coping, a week after the election.Please remember that there is no singular, or correct, way to cope, and that these are suggestions offered by our editors and staff that have gotten them through the past week, and are continuing to do so. Each may not be equally effective for each person, and we encourage you to find what helps you cope best.The most obvious, first: Solange. Her album has been played on loop throughout protests and walkouts, sit-ins on the Main Green, and small community get-togethers. In fact, it's easy to believe that A Seat at the Table has been heard more frequently than any other album on campus this past week.[embed]https://open.spotify.com/album/3Yko2SxDk4hc6fncIBQlcM[/embed]In their last days in the White House, Obama-Biden memes have also made quite the splash, capturing the attention of CNN, the BBC, and your news feed.
If more music is what keeps you going, Kate McKinnon's cold open, singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" may be a source of some optimism as well.[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BG-_ZDrypec[/embed]But, if you're looking for videos completely unrelated to the election to get your mind off of things, check out cute animal videos. If that's your style, we've got a koala making friends with a butterfly, a compilation of some unexpected pet behavior, and a Facebook page dedicated to golden retriever videos.In a more general sense, finding ways to self-care is important. Although not exhaustive, this guide is an interactive and potentially helpful way to calm down and take care of yourself. The meditation app 1giantmind offers ways to meditate and gets you more comfortable with doing so.Whatever way you self-care, keep in mind the validity of your personal coping methods, and seek out additional support if needed.Image via.