My mind was set before Election Day. I thought Donald Trump’s mishandling of COVID-19 and an abnormally high voter turnout would guarantee the election for Joe Biden. But on Election Day, my confidence began to waver. I was scared that I had underestimated Trump’s supporters and again he would catch everyone by surprise.
To remain focused on school, I limited myself to checking the election results only three times a day. I already had deleted my social media apps due to daily electoral toxicity and misinformation, so I relied on National Public Radio, Reuters, and the Associated Press to stay in the loop. Violent viral videos and questionable posts by celebrities and people that I grew up with turned me away from social media. Everyone is entitled to their fact-based opinions, but I no longer have the stamina to keep up with the conspiracies, divisiveness, violence, and hatefulness being shared.
I cannot wait to see Trump face reality this coming inauguration. Even though the election has not been certified yet, knowing that he will probably be leaving the White House soon fills me with hope for the future. I could not imagine living under his administration for another four years. Still, Trump’s popularity is troubling. His baseless efforts to delegitimize the election results is a mockery of our democracy. It is absurd that there are so many people willing to perpetuate false narratives about voter fraud. There is less consensus than I had hoped there was, and the next administration will have to inherit the divisiveness that has been exacerbated by the previous one.
