11/11/24

On November 6th, 2024, I awoke in a headspace that only fully comes to fruition once every four years. It was a feeling of innate anxiety, the kind that no matter how hard you try to distract yourself it simply lingers throughout your entire being. By 6:30 AM, I was at the gym, and stayed for just short of two hours, taking rests in between each set to explain to family members that politics and morals are separate things. The promise of economic growth for the pre-grown was prioritized over my friends and families ability to access affordable healthcare, bodily autonomy, basic civil human rights. Money was prioritized over the well being of the ground we walk on, the glaciers, oceans, and coasts that only the people playing the biggest hand in destroying them can still afford to visit. I, and every other person in the United States with kindness in their hearts awoke that morning with a feeling of intense fear, betrayal, and hopelessness. We gave ourselves 24 hours from that morning to that night to feel our emotions, vocalize our frustrations, and rot in the self pity, before we did what they couldn't do from 2020 till now, accept that we lost, and move on with the realization that all we can do is continue to speak for what we feel in our hearts deserves to be spoken for, and live our lives the best way we can. 

One of my favorite phenomenon's that occurs whenever the masses feel a unilateral feeling of distress, is the way it attaches to pop culture. Most notably, after the Black Friday stock market crash in 1989, the 90s were entirely encapsulated by this sense of non-glamorous glamor, escapism, and freshness, especially in the streetwear of the time. This is when grunge took shape, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood put out some of the most extravagant, Folkloric collections, and celebrities like Winona Ryder, Drew Barrymore, and Kurt Cobain ruled the Hollywood scene. The 2008 recession saw a similar impact. Pop music was taken over by the club scene, consequently leaking into every other aspect of notable culture at the time. Ke$ha was on every radio station, the Bling Ring was robbing Paris Hilton houses all over LA, and the fashion we so desperately attempt to recreate today was at its all-time peak, consisting of low-rise sweats, fur boots, and and itty bitty scarves. 

Its hard to imagine the time we see ourselves living through today having that significant of an impact on the culture, especially in a way that can be summarized. Fashion, music, and art in general are consumed on such a broad scope now, that we cant as easily fixate on one style or beat to encapsulate a movement of an era. So the question arises; what can we fixate on to make life not feel so 'end-of-the-world-ish'? At the moment, I'm considering myself lucky enough to have more than my fair share of homework to get through to keep my mind as distracted as possible. Rule number one of not feeling like life as we know it is coming to an end is to keep oneself as distracted as humanly possible, especially when it comes to social media. TikTok especially has a way of making anybody feel like every broadcast interruption, story update, and policy announcement, is going to be the death of me and everything I hold near and dear to my heart. From now until further notice, my time limit on all social media accounts is 15 minutes, only exceeding when my heart and soul are in a good enough position to handle the anxiety and palpitations caused by opening any of the big three doomsday apps for more than a minute. However, one thing I think we can all benefit from is giving ourself the freedom to enjoy things as much as we possibly can, and hopefully even more than that. 

I, more than most, am well aware of the evilness that runs throughout the anatomy of the American economical structure, especially on this end of the year. Most of the time, I can stand strong, ignoring the red, white, and blue, of the Fourth of July, the hearts of Valentines day, and even the fear farms of Halloween, but after such a beating as we were handed a short five days ago, it feels more difficult to intentionally ignore the Merry-ment of the season. I spend approximately 363 days a year living life as if every day were the most average experience of my life, with room only for the occasional friends birthday or friends night out. Having my birthday when I do, I get all of the excitement of the year over and done with within the span of about two weeks, potentially a month if Thanksgiving is particularly enjoyable. And given the stress, and general anger that has been the sum of the last week, I feel inclined to lean into those two weeks as much and as hard as I can. 

Christmas time's whole shtick is "Joy to the World", so I feel that it is a safe bet to place some of my hope and positivity into the prospects of a joyous holiday. My plan is, without a doubt or hesitation in my mind, to put all of my energy into one of the happiest times of the year, and celebrate in every way possible. It is a time of light, and fun. A time when staying in and sleeping early is encouraged. A time when wearing ugly sweaters is not only a fun and quirky thing, but a celebrated activity to share in with friends and family alike. Despite my previously established feelings for consumerism, and what's more, capitalism, however, when all hope in the future of my love life, environmental health, and wealth disparity feel more than lost, what else is there to do?

Factoring out retail workers, the end of the year is a time meant to prioritize relaxation, resetting, and an abundance of positivity. Not only is it the one time of year where I can turn on the Christmas lights hung in my room year-round without judgement, but its two months of time to spend with the people you love, the people you're closest with, and the people that bring you the most amount of peace (on Earth). I wont pretend to be a stranger to the stress, anxiety, and overall negativity that often coincided with all of the forced cheer and festivities, but considering the already anxious and stressful environment many of us find ourselves in regardless of the holidays we choose to celebrate, it seems a better excuse than any to fully give in and celebrate 'happiness' better than we ever have before. Enjoy the fact that classes are nearing an end, mornings aren't always met with alarm clocks, and the horror that has been 2024 is reaching a finally. Unwind, enjoy what can be enjoyed, and try your best not to think about what comes in January.

Happy Kwanza, Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.