“See you all next week, on Election Day!”

Exhausted from being on Zoom all day and ready to take a long nap, initially, I hardly even registered the words as I moved my mouse to exit the Zoom meeting. But even as I closed my laptop and unplugged for the day, the words stuck with me.

As we near voting day, talk of the election has become borderline deafening, and for good reason—there’s a lot on the line. Lately, every day that I spend on campus has been filled with predictions, prayers, and all around trepidation surrounding Nov. 3. We are worried. We are scared. We are trying to be optimistic in the face of overwhelming pessimism. For those of us who are most vulnerable to the policies and whims of President Trump and his cabinet, we are watching the nation decide our future. For those of us who have been mobilizing for voter turnout and against voter suppression, we are anxious to see if our efforts have paid off. For those of us who have seen America fail time and time again to stand up for the voices that matter, we are waiting to see if we’ll be let down yet again.

Sitting there staring at my closed laptop, I thought about how drained I was simply from attending class and completing my work. Then, I thought about the fact that less than a week from that day, I’d be feeling the same amount of exhaustion, only with the added stress of being a part of one of the most important elections of my lifetime.

So I ask, earnestly: Why do I have class tomorrow? Why aren’t more professors prioritizing the mental health and accessibility to voting of their students? As an absentee voter from a state that accepts ballots postmarked by November 3rd, I can at least rest (somewhat) assured that my ballot will be counted. But for those who are anticipating long lines at the polls, or are anxious as to whether their ballot will arrive on time, the logistics of voting this year are one more thing to worry about in an election and national climate that already offers a physical and mental toll.

To be fair, some professors are making an effort to reach out. Some have checked in with their students about their concerns around voting, or made their classes asynchronous for voting day; others have made attendance optional or canceled class altogether. But there are also professors who are holding midterms on Voting Day, and still others who haven’t discussed it with their students at all.

Regardless of the outcome of this election, the country will be in turmoil. I am asking professors to acknowledge that their students are not somehow separate from the rest of the country in experiencing the tumult of a country that is figuratively (and literally) on fire. If you support each student’s right to cast a ballot—if you place priority on the mental health of your most vulnerable students—then it shouldn’t be novel to have the conversation with your students about what they need this week.

The last time Trump was on the presidential ballot, I was a sophomore in high school and three years too young to vote. I had class at 8 a.m. the morning after he won. I didn’t take any notes. I didn’t do any homework. When I think back on that day, I don’t remember a single thing I learned in class. What I do remember are the things my friends and family said to me. I remember the people I hugged, the people I ranted to, the people I offered an ear to. I remember feeling scared, and I remember the people who made me feel safe.

To students, this week, prioritize yourself. You’ve already made a voting plan—this week, make a self care plan for Election Day and the hard days that will inevitably follow. Find things to look forward to, no matter how small they may be. If you aren’t in the space to attend class and you can afford to skip, do so. Put your health first, even if your professors won’t.