With Thanksgiving last week and Christmas fast approaching, many Bonaventure students have been able to head home and spend some time at the dinner table, eating quality meals with their families.
Although these holidays are supposed to be an opportunity to spend good times with their relatives, the election is still fresh in many American’s minds. This can easily lead to intense conversations about politics at the dinner table.
Holidays are meant to be a time for relaxation and fun. However, people are so wound up about this election that they can’t seem to forget about it just for a little while to sit at their dinner tables with their families. Usually, during Thanksgiving my family sits around and laughs and talks nicely to each other, just enjoying each other’s company. But this year an ominous cloud loomed over the table. That cloud is called “politics.”
In every family, there is bound to be some people that support Donald Trump and some who support Hillary Clinton. It is difficult to tip-toe around the topic of what happened Election Night. But once you stumble on to it, it becomes increasingly difficult to make it stop. The holidays were meant for time with family and happy memories, but that is not easy to have once you begin talking politics, almost always ensuing in arguments.
The thing that is different about this year’s holidays for families of St. Bonaventure students is the fact that the students being home will be more of a special occasion, because we are away at college. Usually dinner with family might not be such a big deal, but now that school is in session it should be a treat to have us home. Because of the special occasion, it would be nice to not have to worry about politics coming up.
I think this is how it is for a lot of people; they don’t want to have to deal with the fact that politics are crazy lately, and people with differing opinions might bring it up and argue. It would be nice to go home and spend time with my family and not have to be concerned about the election topic coming into conversation. The thought stresses me, and after talking to peers, I know it stresses them as well.
Thanksgiving has passed, and though we have made it through that okay, another holiday is coming up. Christmas hasn’t happened yet and there is a risk of politics coming up. When we go home again, it will be even closer to Trump swearing into office, and for a lot of people that could cause arguments at home. Everyone has some conservative and some liberal family members, and unfortunately it is difficult to talk politics with relatives. But it would be nice to not have that be an issue.
Elyse Kuhn is a staff writer for the Bona Venture. Her email is kuhnee16@bonaventure.edu
