My love affair with politics died a slow death this year, and though the midterm elections took place this week, I did not participate. The reason for this lack of participation is not actually related to my failed love affair, but because I found myself caring very little about how the elections panned out this year. I’m still concerned that the country’s politics are going downhill and perhaps cannot be salvaged, but I just cannot bring myself to feel worried about it any longer.

I still read USA Today every day, although much less religiously than last year. I used to sit up in Cartwright Hall during my break every day, eating lunch and scanning the paper.

I’m not sure if this decline in reading is because I have less time this year or because the stories all start to blend together into one giant messy stew of irrelevance after a while. I do still love the smell of a fresh newspaper in the morning, though.

I’m tired of turning on the television to see countless opponent-bashing TV ads touting the candidate du jour and giving zero information to the confused masses. I passionately believe politicians should spend less time trying to get elected or re-elected and more time actually doing their jobs. When politicians come in all different shapes and sizes, but with the same generic, greedy elite hides under those masks, who can blame me for simply not caring anymore?

The bottom line is that I’ve realized things in this country will happen or not happen regardless of how I feel about politics. They don’t have to affect my everyday life in any extreme way. Yes, politics affect our economy, healthcare, education and countless other areas of our lives, but they don’t necessarily have to affect the course of our personal lives. Even though Republicans won the House and too many governors for my liking, it also won’t mean much to me in my everyday life. I will keep going to school, keep hanging out with friends and keep wasting too much time on the Internet. There might be unpleasant tiffs concerning the repeal of the healthcare bill periodically gracing the TV airwaves, but I can simply change the channel and get on with my life.

Besides, politics are so predictable, there really isn’t any suspense left in these elections.

Basically, it’s almost a given that the opposing party will take over the majority stake in Congress in the midterm election after a new president has taken office. That’s how things go, and I’m cool with that.

I used to get into heated arguments about politics or make impassioned speeches to my friends on various political subjects (something I’m sure they don’t miss). I still care about important issues like gay rights, but I’m tired of the worn-out pattern of blame and petty attacks that come along with politics.

So, after over a yearlong love affair, I’m breaking it off. I’m sorry, politics. It’s not me; it’s you.

Christen Mullett is a senior psychology major and columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].