An election is a tumultuous time for many, especially for students on a college campus as politically active as St. Olaf. The emotions felt on campus fluctuated greatly during election week from excitement and nervous energy on Election Day to quiet processing as results were revealed. The Wellness Center anticipated this strain on students with its Election Decompression event, which included several days of programming to give Oles a chance to decompress and process the election.
“The main goal of the event was to gather St. Olaf students and provide a space where they can come into a room and not think about the election. This was a place where people came together and united during a difficult and uneasy time,” said Esperanza Carrera Murga ’25, an AmeriCorps intern for the Wellness Center.
Programming included meditation sessions, crafts, sound baths, massage chairs, and more. Carrera Murga said that students loved the sound bath sessions and expressed a hope for them to continue regularly.
The Wellness Center saw a total of 236 students over the three days of the event. “People attended in groups, and turnout continued to increase each day,” said Megan Hass ’27, a member of the Wellness Center’s Mental Health Grant Team.
A comment left by a student who participated expressed gratitude for the opportunity to decompress: “Thank you so much for putting your time and energy into an event like this. Elections are a hard time for everyone but uniting with peers on campus can give us peace of mind. I painted with friends on the mini canvases provided by the Wellness Center and met others throughout the event. This space felt like home. It was very lowkey and everyone was so welcoming.”
In addition to the Election Decompression event, Oles are finding peace in talking to others.
“I’m talking to friends and family to process it,” said Sophia Furmann ’27.
On the whole, students and professors have noticed the changing energy on campus, from excitement surrounding the Vote Mobile to quiet reflection. St. Olaf staff and students put in a great deal of time and effort to nonpartisan opportunities to relax and process what the election could mean for the nation, or take a break from it entirely. Oles across the political spectrum came together to participate in America’s democracy with great enthusiasm. The same Oles made space throughout the week to support one another as the campus community works through another presidential election.
