Like millions of Americans, I woke up today distraught to learn the election results.
After briefly absorbing the news, my first thought was, “Maybe I should get doughnuts this morning.”
I promised my 60 students I would get them doughnuts if we attained 70% completion on academic adviser evaluations. They missed the mark by nine points. Done deal. No doughnuts. You snooze. You lose.
However, I knew several of my students would be hurting this morning, feeling hopeless after the election. Maybe I should get them doughnuts anyway? Perhaps just mini doughnuts? Or maybe some doughnut holes? But then a random text came through from a former student — an alum with whom I haven’t chatted in several months — “You better get your students doughnuts today.”
It was settled. Doughnuts it is — full-size doughnuts. To be sure, I stopped at both Dunkin and Krispy Kreme. Six dozen doughnuts total (or “donuts” if they’re the Dunkin variety). It was the right call. Students immediately converged on my office, grabbing a donut and sharing their feelings. At one point seven students crowded into my office, expressing their fears, venting their frustrations, airing out their anger and cracking jokes about their impending doom.
I dismiss the notion that politics aren’t personal. If you were eavesdropping on my office this morning you’d hear an undocumented student fearing deportation, a gay student worried about losing their right to marry, a student anxious that her special-needs brother would lose his government assistance. These are all very legit concerns based on the future President’s agenda, and they are highly personal issues to these students.
But the country voted. And the majority voted for a candidate whose policies, if enacted, will definitely impact these students. I can’t do anything about that. But as these seven were gathered in my office, I realized in that moment I could be the most important person in their lives. I can listen. I can hug. I can emphathize. I can show them that they matter, regardless of where they were born, who they love or the color of their skin.
By demonstrating Christlike love, I can have a direct impact on the people around me, regardless of the hate surrounding them. Of course that doesn’t mean I’m stopping my fight against sexism, racism, nativism and heterosexism — that will be especially important in the years to come. But for now the best thing I can do for those feeling hopeless is to create a safe environment for them, and let them know I genuinely care.
And maybe occasionally, provide them doughnuts.
Joe Dennis 