By Kiersten Hacker

The college basketball season has not started yet, but the Xfinity Center has already hosted the most important competition. The two opponents are squaring off: President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Instead of the Maryland flag rolling down a sea of cheering students, the stadium was filled with polling booths, poll workers and ballot boxes outside. Game day nerves were high while students exercised their civic duty, some for the first time, but those nerves have not eased with the results still unclear. 

Quickly labeled as one of the most contentious elections of our time, the 2020 Presidential Election has contributed to students’ stress in addition to classes, extracurriculars, jobs and the threat of the coronavirus. While Election Day is over, the uncertain outcome continues to cause election anxiety across the country. 

Young people between the ages of 18 and 29, who are often students, constitute about 20% of eligible voters in the United States. With a high voter turnout, young people could strongly influence American elections. Students typically turn up in lower numbers compared to middle-aged voters, but this year young people took an increased interest in the election, mobilizing through social media. 

Since the government and nation are divided over pressing issues, the Presidential Election motivated students and UMD to increase efforts to get out the vote. Numerous organizations like Terpsvote, MaryPIRG and other political groups, as well as Maryland athletics and University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines, worked hard to encourage students to vote. Maryland athletics launched the VoTERP campaign and Pines has continued to show voter support on Twitter and through emails to students and staff. Pines’ latest email on Nov. 4 encouraged students to remain patient, reach out to counseling services and form community with peers through virtual events. 

Through these efforts, students have felt both worried and optimistic leading up to the election and while waiting for final results. Sophomore government and politics major Alex Arevalo, who voted early in-person in Prince George’s County, said that before the election, he was nervous and experienced negative stress. However, once he conducted further research on the polls and different scenarios, he said he felt encouraged and hopeful. On Election Day Arevalo said, “My stress levels are relatively high but I would say it’s high on eustress not on distress.”

“Voting is an essential tool in a thriving, free democracy like we have here. But that is what it is, it’s a tool, you know, it’s the first step” Arevalo said. “It doesn’t end at the voting box.”

Another sophomore government and politics major, Ryan Khaghani, the president of Terps for Biden, said he also felt nervous but tried to remain positive and confident on Election Day. Khaghani traveled to his hometown in Montgomery County to vote early and was met with cheers when poll workers found out he was a first time voter.

 “I’m really confident that youth turnout will be very high,” Khaghani said. “Times today are very different than they were four years ago.” 

On Election Day, Khaghani said he was confident but not overconfident and feared for potential violence post election. “I am also worried because I don’t know what President Trump and his campaign are planning,” he said.

Election day may be over, but nerves remain high as long-awaited results trickle in with disputes in many key battleground states like Pennsylvania, Nevada and Georgia.

Freshman journalism major Olivia Wolfson, who voted by mail, said she feels nervous and expressed concern about the potential of a Supreme Court decision on the election results. Before the election, Wolfson felt stressed about mail-in voting, but her worries have shifted toward an uncertain transfer of power if Trump loses the presidency. She said she feels more comfortable now that most states have had quick results and has been finding distractions. 

“I went to a spin class last night so I was like ‘I’m just going to bike it out, bike out the stress’” said Wolfson, “A big thing is turning off my phone and not looking at it. So these are distractions that have been very helpful with that. I think it’s just such a monumental part of history we’re in right now, which is kind of cool to twist the stress that way.”

Freshman journalism student Josie Jack also fears potential violence and is worried about the rights of women, people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. “Before the election I was nervous about after the election,” said Jack. Now Jack is using different methods to grapple with post-Election-Day stress while votes are still being counted.

“Airplane mode is definitely useful. Sometimes I just need to not get notifications,” said Jack. “And then just like talking about it with friends, talking about our anxieties, you know, shared experiences. Human connection always helps with that sort of stuff.” 

Jack also deleted Twitter before the election even started because she felt mentally, it would be better if she did not check the platform. 

While hopes remain high, there are common worries among students, like violence, human rights and climate change. Arevalo, Khaghani and freshman environmental science and policy major Daequan McAdam all expressed fear for the environment and of distrust in science since young people will inherit climate consequences. 

“Young people are our next generation of leaders and the world that our current leaders leave for us can either be a world that is healthy and clean and safe or it could be a dangerous place,” said Khaghani.

“We’re pretty much voting for our future here,” said McAdam

Featured image: The Xfinity Center at UMD became the official polling location for students who are registered to vote in Prince George’s County.

Photo courtesy of VoTERP