Relaxing-ish Things To Do While Waiting For Election Results

Stressed about the election? Me too. It’s both sad and funny how amid all the madness of 2020, the wildest stories are still about the 2020 presidential election. While I’m sure we all can’t wait to get this over with, unfortunately, we probably won’t find out who’s gonna be America’s Next Top Mod — I mean, America’s Next President on Tuesday night. So instead of going out of our minds stressing out about the fate of this country, here’s a list of relaxing-ish things that Harvard students can do while waiting for the election result.

Listen to Samyra’s Podcasts

With the virtual semester and everything else happening in 2020, it’s so easy to forget that Harvard still exists. No better time to catch up than now. Let me introduce you to the go-to news source for all of Harvard’s hottest tea: the amazing Samyra C. Miller ’21 and her awesome podcast series, The Harvard Communitea. Since reading the news nowadays makes us all want to cry, at least listening to The Harvard Communitea will make you feel like you’re ~connected~ to what’s going on without feeling sad. And if you’re craving even more podcasts to fill the void, the Crimson’s got you covered.

Rewatch Housing Day Videos

For first years, previous years’ Housing Day videos might be our only glimpse into the various upperclassmen communities at Harvard. Why obsessively check the news every 30 seconds when you can get lost in the beautiful views of Lowell House or the iconic “We Didn’t Start The Kirkland” tune from Kirkland House’s 2014 video? We have no idea what Housing Day will look like this year, but it’s never too early to start falling in love with the river houses only to get quadded in the spring! Check out these playlists from 2020 and 2017 for some of the best to get you started.

Finally Work On Those Math Psets

What better way to get your mind off a frustrating and depressing presidential election than to be stressed out by a frustrating and depressing math pset? Just half an hour with derivatives and linear algebra can make all your anxiety about the election disappear. Sure, there will be tears — but hey, at least they won’t be because of politics.

*Mom Voice* Clean Your Room

Midterm season recently ended, and if you’re like me, your room has really fallen into a state of messiness. With only a month until move-out for folks on campus, it’s wise to pick up a broom and start sweeping away. While you’re contemplating how on earth you let yourself stay in such a messy place, you won’t have time to worry for the millionth time about who’s gonna win your home state.

Binge Your Comfort Show

Sometimes all you need is a warm blanket, tea, and the joy of rewatching your favorite show for the 17th time. Usually, ignoring your approaching deadlines for essays and psets is probably frowned upon, but given the hecticness of the upcoming days, I think you’re allowed some exceptions. Why stress about the fact that it might take days, even weeks, to get the result back when you can laugh at the ridiculous plot twists in “Riverdale” and wonder how drunk the writers were when they wrote this scene?

By Courtesy of Google Images

Take Naps

Do you know what you’re not going to think about when you’re off to dreamland? The election! Since we’re all perpetually sleep-deprived anyway, we might as well take advantage of election night and sleep our troubles away, at least for a short while.

No matter what happens on Tuesday night, or however long it takes for the 2020 Presidential Election to be over, remember to prioritize your mental wellbeing and do things that make you happy :)