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Hakuna Matata

By Harry Pearse
Columnist

In light of the presidential election and the outrage of many Americans about the victory of Mr. Trump, I think we should all take a step back and relax. Although it may seem like there is a lot to worry about, there isn’t. Not yet, anyway.

Now, I’m not a supporter of either candidate and nor does my opinion matter in this ever so great country. This is probably because I am an international student from Britain, who has contributed to the most…wait…second most terrifyingly stupid thing in current political affairs: Brexit.

Photo by Harry Pearse  Hakuna Matata. This week’s phrase is commonly known from Disney’s “The Lion King.” Originating from the African continent and Swahili, the phrase translates to “no worries.”
Photo by Harry Pearse
Hakuna Matata. This week’s phrase is commonly known from Disney’s “The Lion King.” Originating from the African continent and Swahili, the phrase translates to “no worries.”

One may start to panic if you were Mr. Pearse, you may think, “can’t go home, to ‘Great’ Britain because of the clever foolishness of Nigel Forage and his lies during his leave campaign for Brexit.” But I can’t really stay here anymore, because I’m not an American citizen. Fantastic, and what’s next?

Towards the latter part of a lovely but scary conversation with my surrogate mother Abir, who works in the IMC, which is located in the Library, after she had listened to my vented worries, the beautiful Middle Eastern uttered some words of wisdom, borrowed from Swahili. ”Hakuna matata, Harry, hakuna matata.” And just like that, this soft and gentle notion of ‘no worries’ lifted the coarse veil of anxiety and replaced it with a caressing silk over my head.

The divinity of nostalgia at the “Lion King” reference, and the fact that I am at oneness with words, helped this short phrase shed some philosophical light upon my worried soul. Subjectively, it made me realize that yes we may be in a devastating storm when it comes to politics at the moment, and yes that is extremely major. However, I think we need to stay within ourselves.

Remember, we are students; we have so many other qualms and uncertainties we have to focus on. Within the immediacy of our lives and the actuality of our reality, we need to focus on the present. To my comrades out there…the revolution isn’t going to happen right now, in this moment; things need to get a lot worse.

Remember, nothing is going to change drastically until at least January. And within that time period, imagine how many assignments you’ll get, how many training sessions you will have to partake in, how many arguments you’ll have to construct, how many drinks you are going to pour down that neck, and how many parties you are going to boogie your way through, probably to the sound of “One Dance.”

We need to stay calm, cool and collected and try not to veer in any particular direction away from the priorities we have in our own lives. Now I am not saying don’t talk or debate the issue. I want you to in fact relish this horrendously huge historic moment: ‘2016 the year to remember, the good and maybe the bad’ (in a menacing but coherent voice). And of course it is important to question, critically think and acquire understanding, because it would be devastating if we weren’t doing that.

I find it perfectly peculiar but also fantastic that people who I have never heard speak are now developing a voice of anguish, anger and astonishment at what’s happened. For me, this is revolutionary. On the other hand, we could use this newfound voice that a lot of us have suddenly found and incorporate its enthusiasm into the classroom, and on more philosophical ideas. But, ultimately, I think we need to stay sturdy and not react too hastily.

So take deep breaths, relax and watch “The Lion King.” That is the moral of this particular story.

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