Student stress eases with new presidential administration

With Donald Trump no longer in office and unable to post on social media, many Chapman students feel less stress in their daily lives without coming into contact with the former president. WikiCommons

Former President Donald Trump was arguably the most polarizing president in U.S. history. Thus, it may make sense that according to the American Psychology Association’s (APA) “Stress In America” surveys in 2016 and 2018, his presidency coincided with high levels of anxiety among American citizens regarding the country’s future and political climate. 

The 2016 study found 57% regarded the current political climate as “a very or somewhat significant source of stress.” That number only increased in 2018, when 62% of participants  viewed their current political climate as a significant stressor, in addition to 69% believing America’s future was a significant source.

For Chapman students, the 2020 general election left many feeling dread or anxiety. In order to address that stress, Civic Engagement hosted a “No Politics Week” campaign, beginning Feb. 1, to address the drain that politics has on students. However, the campaign was abruptly cut short due to the negative feedback from students.

Alondra Alvarez, a sophomore political science and sociology double major at Chapman University, does not believe that people can step away from politics and was reluctant to use the term “stress” to describe Trump’s presidency and politics as a whole. 

“To deem something stressful almost makes it seem like you can take a pause on it,” Alvarez said. “(Politics) is inherently embedded in people’s lives and it affects so many people.”

Until recently, before Trump was banned from several social media platforms, his daily social media presence increased over the course of his presidency, from averaging 5.7 tweets per day during the first half of 2017 to 34.8 tweets per day during the second half of 2020.

Alvarez believes that restricting Trump’s social media outlets is essential to diminishing the stress his online media can cause, including after four years of his constant presence.

“Especially because of the claims he was making about the results of the election and the threat to democracy that he was posing, it’s definitely less stress-inducing to know that there’s a way to stop him from garnering even more illogical support,” she said. 

Zoe Bell, a sophomore political science major and a founding member of Chapman Progressives, said that despite feeling relieved that Trump is no longer in office, her concerns remain.

“I can’t say that I have much relief living under the Biden administration as opposed to the Trump administration,” Bell said. “I don’t have much faith in this administration to bring about any genuine progressive, left-wing change.”

Katie White, a junior sociology major, echoed these concerns and said she was still stressed by the continued support the former president has received from his supporters. 

“Trump really represented all of the problems in our society, but even now that he’s out of office, those problems are still there,” White said. “People are still going to feel emboldened to engage in hateful rhetoric.”

In addition to increased stress in Americans, Trump’s presidency also saw a spike in the number of Americans closely following politics. Since Trump has left office, it remains to be seen whether this will be a sustained trend or is limited to Trump’s term. 

While impeachment proceedings for Trump are currently underway, there is a question of whether people are still paying attention, especially since Trump is no longer in office. A poll conducted by The Panther found 54% of 243 respondents were keeping up with the impeachment while 46% were not. 

Alvarez believes it is important to “keep an eye” on the impeachment, given Trump is the first president to be impeached twice. Bell, on the other hand, said Trump’s conviction in the Senate is unlikely and believes the process won’t enact any meaningful change. However, Bell finds it essential to continue following political headlines, a statement Alvarez echoed. 

“It’s absolutely imperative that politics be a part of our lives and a part of our daily conversations,” Alvarez said.