America, The Fearful? Anticipatory Anxiety is Everywhere

The holiday season in a big city has always had a magical aura to it. People spend outrageous amounts of money to travel to the New York Cities and Chicagos of the world just to experience this appealing magic.

But this holiday season the magical appeal of a big city is replaced with fear and terror.

fear-409x300 — Photo credit to *Watching America*

According to a recent poll, “83 percent of registered voters believe a large scale terror attack in the U.S. is likely in the near future.” Americans are fearful, and rightfully so, after the attacks in Europe that have taken place in public events singling out innocent civilians.

Shortly after these attacks, The State Department issued a rare worldwide travel alert Monday evening for U.S. citizens amid several terror threats overseas. Many Americans take this as more of an incentive to stay in more low-key areas this holiday season. The State Department also “urged people to avoid large crowds and to exercise particular caution during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events.”

Because of these warnings, fear has spread through America. Day to day tasks may not be changing, but the planning of New Year’s Eve plans are definitely being influenced due to the recent terror. MarketWatch reports that “About 10 percent of American travelers have canceled a trip in response to the terror attacks, eliminating a potential $8.2 billion in travel spending, according to a survey of about 1,064 people by data collection site YouGov.”

Traveling to other cities is clearly being affected but what about plans within your city? Terrorist attacks can happen anywhere, orchestrated by anyone, large groups or individual, just like they it had recently in Colorado and California. And Americans certainly realize this.

Woman leaves flowers for the victims in the San Bernardino, California attacks. Photo credit to International Business Times — Woman leaves flowers for the victims in the San Bernardino, California attacks. Photo credit to *International Business Times*

People cannot just stop living their lives during the most bustling time of the year because of fear. The wise are avoiding large masses but they realize it is nearly impossible to avoid going out. Kerry, a friend who lives in New York City, said she had avoided public transportation for a bit after the attacks in Paris.

All of America is along side her in this fear. N.R. Kleinfield reports in the New York Times that “Everybody is filled with what we sometimes refer to as anticipatory anxiety — worrying about something that is not currently happening in our lives but could happen.”

Kerry also stated that she will avoid massive holiday events in Times Square but her usual hangouts at city bars will not be avoided. The magical appeal that usually engulfs Americans spirits is still here but with a level of uncertainty. What is the holiday season in New York City without Times Square?

Well, it’s still the city that never sleeps. It’s still the diamond of America. The Big Apple.

Americans will not take this fear of terrorism lightly, but they will not let it control them and their Christmas spirit. America is their home and they will refuse to live like hostages within that.

The American people are fearful, yes, but they are also brave. They will not let the horrific actions of one group of people or a few individuals make them live in a claustrophobia of fear.

Homeschooler in the Real World

Emma Folts, a sophomore at Wheaton College, shares her experience about her transition into college and how homeschool has both helped and hindered her.
How has your homeschool experience benefitted you, especially in your transition into college?
I think the one thing that homeschooling did that was really helpful as I entered college was that it taught me time management. As a homeschooler I had the same freedom as a college student has to put things off during the day and go see a friend instead. Since I had that experience, I knew the cost of that.
Also, personal responsibility and accountability with assignments. I feel like a lot of the other students had more expectations for gentler grading and that the professor would give them retakes or extensions, but that wasn’t something that ever happened to me in school. That learning curve wasn’t added because I never had it the other way. I think another thing was that because I was homeschooled, I was familiar with the format of teaching and then studying on my own.
Did you see any issues with your transition socially?
I think that homeschooling had two ramifications for me socially. One was helpful, one was hurtful.
It was really helpful because as a homeschooler, I had spent a lot of time realizing and developing who I was as a person and learning to recognize people who were being themselves, and those were the people I sought out as friends. Friendship as a homeschooler takes a lot more investment. I knew I was choosier with my friends which made me a lot less anxious and a lot more content.
The only real negative impact of the social bit was that I was really used to getting to choose the time I got to spend with people. As a homeschooler I spent a lot of time with people, but that time was controlled by me. As a college student, I found that you can’t really control the time you spend with people and alone time is not really available. Learning to deal with that was a lot harder than anticipated.
Any last comments on homeschool and how it has affected your college experience?
I think homeschooling is really helpful, however it does take a slightly increased amount of advocacy with your peers when you’re entering into college. I think a lot of people come in with certain assumptions about homeschool, especially students. You’re going to get a lot of, ‘oh my gosh, you don’t seem like a homeschooled person!’ [You can’t] take that too personally and explain your experience so that friends can understand it’s an important piece of you, though it might not look like the homeschooling that they’ve seen.
My encouragement to anyone who is a homeschooler transitioning into college is to realize the benefit that you have having been homeschooled, and to realize that the bit of advocacy and explaining that you need to do with your peers is totally normal and that it’s not a big deal. Once they understand your experience, it’s not something I’ve experienced being looked down on for.