Take time for yourself

By: Kyndall Cunningham, Columnist 

The end of the semester has finally approached us, and if you’re anything like me,  it couldn’t have come soon enough. This past semester has been a newsworthy one, filled with shocking stories and the reckoning of systems that enable and condone sexual assault. I’ve certainly had a lot to write about, not to mention the slow reckoning of our current administration that is finally beginning to move forward. The events of 2017 have definitely been stressful and exciting all at once. The most important thing to remember in the midst of all the madness is your mental health and well-being. I have to remind myself on a daily basis that I don’t have to get wrapped up in whatever people on my Twitter timeline are arguing about, or that it’s okay to take the time to gather my thoughts rather than jumping into a social conversation that I might not be fully educated on.

I urge you to do the same this holiday season, and neglect the guilt that we often feel when we do not fully immerse ourselves in the conversation of the day. Twitter will never run out of opinions, and there are always opinions like yours floating somewhere on social media. Sometimes, it’s better to click the like button or simply retweet rather than going on your own personal rant if you are not emotionally up to it. The other option, of course, is to just close out of the app and give your Twitter fingers a rest.  It’s okay to focus on yourself, your family and your friends this holiday season and throughout the rest of the year. Trust that you will never run out of issues to speak passionately about as the ugly injustices of our country and the world are given the spotlight.

If you are weary of the news, I also urge you dive into a fictional world by reading a novel, binge-watching a series (Stranger Things) or indulging in some new movies just in time for film award seasons. Art is always the thing that saves us during troubling times and keeps us imagining a better world.

Remember, taking time for yourself and briefly withdrawing from all the madness is not a distraction. You need fuel to fight, and taking time to recollect your thoughts and regain your sanity is most certainly fuel.

I hope you guys have a winter break filled with friends and family time and, most importantly, time to yourself.

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