Political Guide to Surviving the Holidays Without Losing Your Mind
Happy holidays! We here at the Clocktower political writing staff know that coming back from Thanksgiving, the only thing you really want is for it to be Christmas break. While we can’t make that happen yet, in the spirit of giving, your two political writers wanted to give you the definitive Political Guide to Surviving the Holidays Without Losing Your Mind. In this short and sweet guide, both Jacob and Gabriel will try to give you helpful tips to navigating the holidays politically while keeping yourself sane. Without further ado, let’s dive into the guide!
1). Pre-plan.
More than likely, you know your family and friends best. You know which family members have a tendency to get passionate, which friends can get political and which loved ones can be both. Therefore, you should be prepared for these eventualities, especially if you’re not political, or even if you just want to avoid the nonsense. Know where your exits are in case you need a quick escape and have a handful of funny stories ready in case the conversation needs to be changed quickly.
2). Avoid politics if it means relaxing.
Congratulations: you have made it to the end of the semester. Let’s be honest: we probably crawled to the end, possibly not completely intact. But, most importantly, you are done and you have a month off to reward yourself in whatever manner you see fit. However, engaging in political debate probably isn’t the most relaxing thing. This isn’t to say you should avoid politics outright; there are certainly casual ways to discuss public affairs (as we will explore later). Nevertheless, you’re going to want to catch up as much as possible on relaxing, and if politics gets you worked up, it’s probably best to just avoid the topic.
3) Politics doesn’t have to be fervent.
In fact, research indicates that downplaying a political affiliation is a good way to make a positive impression on people that don’t know you very well. Politics can lead to interesting and thoughtful debates; however, you should ensure that your holidays stay enjoyable by making sure you don’t become overzealous with people you love.
4). Don’t use this time to bicker back and forth with family you haven’t seen in months.
As mentioned in the previous tip, politics can get some of us worked up. You wouldn’t want to turn an enjoyable evening with family into an uncomfortable situation due to opposing views. Focus this time on bonding with family and friends that you have been separated from. Families have enough. Families find enough to bicker about without bringing opposing political views to the table.
5) Avoid holiday-specific politics.
Specifically, debates like the “The War on Christmas” and topics like Jesus’ ethnicity (Pastor Rojas already spoke on this: Jesus is Mexican). These topics, while interesting, have a particular problem: due to the holiday season, they are likely to come up more than once. If these topics become heated, these repetitious topics can quickly put a damper on your holidays. Instead, stick to political topics that are less likely to be brought up again.
6). Return to common ground.
After all, when these issues are brought up and you may see it turning into something heated, look for common ground. Most opposing views aren’t on a problem, but how to fix it, which is where the division comes. If you disagree with a family member, remind them that you are not the only family but also Americans who are on the same team and want only what’s best for the country.
Just remember politics will always be waiting for you here at Union. If at the end of your vacation you just can’t hold it in any longer, there will always be faculty, staff, and students here ready to disagree or agree with you. You will be able to get it all out in no time. From both of your political writers, we want to wish you a very happy holiday. Pray for our country and leaders as we enter into this new year. May God bless each one of you and God bless America.
Jacob Sanchez is a freshman studying general studies.
Gabriel Zita is a junior studying psychology.