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Panelists give advice for coping with political fatigue

Dealing with the challenges of a pandemic has been already stressful enough for students and staff, but the election is here to add more.

To combat those stressors, Elizabeth Gorman, director of Student Support Services, held a panel discussion on the topic of political fatigue on Zoom this past Friday.

Among the panelists was Ryan Reed, assistant professor of political science, who said there are three major sources for political fatigue: how much political news coverage one exposes themselves to, how often one thinks of politics and how much politics influences interpersonal relationships.

Professors, faculty and students had a conversation about ways people can handle the stress that elections can incur both before and after they take place.

“A lot of people feel like they have skin in the game with regards to the election outcome,” Reed said. “They feel like it’s going to affect their lives personally and then when you start thinking about what that may be, that may lead to stress.”

David Daye, sophomore political science and organizational communication double major, was one of the panelists at the discussion. This was Daye’s first time being able to vote.

“Of course in the past, I paid attention to the presidential election, but I’ve had to pay even closer attention this time because I’m going to the ballot box to put my vote in,” Daye said.

Political views can also negatively affect personal relationships. Arguments could lead to resentment amongst each other. Emily Panich, licensed clinical professional counselor and Outreach counselor, outlined ways students can be mindful and careful during disagreements.

“We need to keep in mind that not everyone is going to agree with our perspective,” Panich said. “I do recommend avoiding or limiting conversations that have the potential to get heated. However, if you are having a conversation with someone and disagree with them–if you feel safe enough to say you disagree with them–I would recommend you could share why you disagree in a private setting.”

Panelist Heidi Rottier, a Bradley instructor of marketing and social media expert, advised for the use of Pinterest, as it is a non-political social network.

“I think it’s a great recommendation; social media is fun, but look for a way to engage differently with it,” Rottier said.

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