How UMD students are dealing with post-election grief
By Kira Ivarsdottir
November 20, 2024
Image credit: Moms Clean Air Force
Following the recent election on Nov. 4, emotions were high for University of Maryland students as the results came in, but specifically upon the realization that former President Donald Trump would be our 47th President.
With Maryland being a largely democratic state, many students share a similar mood of despair and defeat following the days after the election results were confirmed.
Morgan Chow, freshman chemical engineering student, who voted for Kamala Harris, watched the election live from her dorm’s lounge and expected the ‘Red Mirage effect’, but then watched in shock as the states continued to be taken by Trump.
“So it was, like, a lot of red initially, but I feel like as time went on, like more and more states were getting red and not enough blue” Chow said. “At one point I just ended up going to bed, because I feel like I kind of knew what the results would be.”
While some students watched the election map off of the internet until the president-elect was confirmed, many stopped watching early into the night as it became more apparent that the Republican nominee would serve his second term at the White House.
Freshman animal sciences major, Eni Ojumu, who voted democratically by mail, thought that Harris would surely win the 2024 election. However, when she was woken up by her roommate the following Wednesday with the news that Trump had won, she felt a sense of hopelessness for America’s political situation.
“With Project 2025, [I was like] should I just move? Am I gonna have to drop out of college? What should I do? [That’s] how I thought, you know,” Ojumu said.
Though some were quick to point out the idea that the election shouldn’t affect a person’s mental health after the finalized election results, students such as freshman chemical engineering, Triya Pillai, felt personally affected.
“A lot of the things that Trump is planning to target impacts me a little bit more deeply because I'm an immigrant, and that's a little scary, and it's scary, [how little people] actually know about what he's planning to do in those regards,” Pillai said.
According to civilrights.org, Project 2025–a list of the proposed right-wing policies for 2025 made by over 100 conservative groups and organizations– would allow for not only a nationwide deportation machine, but also militarization of the border and an expansion on immigrant detention centers.
“I don't think anyone should have to deal with not being able to go home and see their families as easily as they want to, and it just surprises me, like that, people don't look into those things when they are trying to figure out who to vote for,” Pillai said.
Ojumu shared similar thoughts with Pillai that the results of the 2024 election are felt deeply by many due to the fact that they will be directly affected by Trump’s future policies.
“Don't take it personally. What do you mean? But that's like, that's a major part of our life, because that's who's creating the laws and allowing things to happen in our country, so of
course, you have to take it personally, because it affects you personally, right?” Ojumu said.
Though there seemed to be a sense of grief on campus in the days following the election results, students such as Chow are trying to find humor in the situation in order to overcome the anxiousness towards the future of our country.
“I feel like I'm trying to find humor, I guess, and levity in this situation, even though it's not really that funny. But I guess I'm also trying to take the ignorance is bliss approach,” Chow said.
While many still feel anxiety towards not only the residual stress of election day but how the new presidency will affect college students specifically, the only thing students can do is find time to take care of themselves and their mental health as well as stay informed about future policies.
With Maryland being a largely democratic state, many students share a similar mood of despair and defeat following the days after the election results were confirmed.
Morgan Chow, freshman chemical engineering student, who voted for Kamala Harris, watched the election live from her dorm’s lounge and expected the ‘Red Mirage effect’, but then watched in shock as the states continued to be taken by Trump.
“So it was, like, a lot of red initially, but I feel like as time went on, like more and more states were getting red and not enough blue” Chow said. “At one point I just ended up going to bed, because I feel like I kind of knew what the results would be.”
While some students watched the election map off of the internet until the president-elect was confirmed, many stopped watching early into the night as it became more apparent that the Republican nominee would serve his second term at the White House.
Freshman animal sciences major, Eni Ojumu, who voted democratically by mail, thought that Harris would surely win the 2024 election. However, when she was woken up by her roommate the following Wednesday with the news that Trump had won, she felt a sense of hopelessness for America’s political situation.
“With Project 2025, [I was like] should I just move? Am I gonna have to drop out of college? What should I do? [That’s] how I thought, you know,” Ojumu said.
Though some were quick to point out the idea that the election shouldn’t affect a person’s mental health after the finalized election results, students such as freshman chemical engineering, Triya Pillai, felt personally affected.
“A lot of the things that Trump is planning to target impacts me a little bit more deeply because I'm an immigrant, and that's a little scary, and it's scary, [how little people] actually know about what he's planning to do in those regards,” Pillai said.
According to civilrights.org, Project 2025–a list of the proposed right-wing policies for 2025 made by over 100 conservative groups and organizations– would allow for not only a nationwide deportation machine, but also militarization of the border and an expansion on immigrant detention centers.
“I don't think anyone should have to deal with not being able to go home and see their families as easily as they want to, and it just surprises me, like that, people don't look into those things when they are trying to figure out who to vote for,” Pillai said.
Ojumu shared similar thoughts with Pillai that the results of the 2024 election are felt deeply by many due to the fact that they will be directly affected by Trump’s future policies.
“Don't take it personally. What do you mean? But that's like, that's a major part of our life, because that's who's creating the laws and allowing things to happen in our country, so of
course, you have to take it personally, because it affects you personally, right?” Ojumu said.
Though there seemed to be a sense of grief on campus in the days following the election results, students such as Chow are trying to find humor in the situation in order to overcome the anxiousness towards the future of our country.
“I feel like I'm trying to find humor, I guess, and levity in this situation, even though it's not really that funny. But I guess I'm also trying to take the ignorance is bliss approach,” Chow said.
While many still feel anxiety towards not only the residual stress of election day but how the new presidency will affect college students specifically, the only thing students can do is find time to take care of themselves and their mental health as well as stay informed about future policies.