There has been something missing from my morning walk to class, lately. The sidewalks are devoid of the sidewalk chalk tattoos with which they were covered month ago. The Obama field office on High Street, once lively and colorful, is now just another empty building. I made it all the way to Hagerty Hall this morning and nobody asked me if I was registered to vote.

Since the election, things just haven’t been the same. I used to spend my first 45 minutes at the office refreshing FiveThirtyEight and other political blogs, checking on the newest electoral projections and poll numbers. Now, I start work on time. I used to be able to go to parties and dazzle ladies with my in-depth political knowledge. Now, my “game” is shattered. For a few fleeting months, it was cool, or at least tolerated, to be a political junkie. Those days are now long gone. I’m worried that I’m starting to suffer from a bit of a post-election hangover. If it isn’t treated, it could move to full-blown electoral dysfunction quickly.

I don’t think I’m the only one to catch it, either. I transferred here from American University in Washington D.C., a school that the Princeton Review named the “most politically active” in the country. My buddies back in D.C. quite literally tracked this election like it was their job, to the detriment of their grades, relationships and, sometimes, personal hygiene (one reason I’m glad to be in Columbus).

That’s all well and good, but what happens once that’s over? I’ve noticed that same effect here at Ohio State, at least anecdotally. Before, the campus was electrified over something besides football or lake jumping in a way that I had never seen. My fellow classmates were swapping stories about the debates at the same rate as drinking stories. People who had never been involved in politics before were registering voters, knocking on doors, or talking to their friends. Even the people who weren’t involved in the race were energized (in trying to get away from all the canvassers). It was an exciting time.

But after the dust settled and the euphoria (or disappointment, for the Republicans) faded away, the emotional drop-off was inevitable. If it wasn’t the emotional crash that did you in, it would be a pure, political burn out. One can only read Congressional Quarterly so many times before you just snap and never want to hear about flag pins or margins of error again.

So how do you fight off an election hangover? I think you just need to place all that energy into something productive. As rumor has it, exams are going on this week, so that might be a good start. Other suggestions might be going outside once in a while, spending time with neglected loved ones, or developing a practical alternative energy source. Maybe take a moment to reach out to your friends who you might have ostracized over the past month because they supported a different candidate. Whatever you do, its important to take some time to step back, recharge, and gain some perspective.

Because, lets face it: 2012 is going to be here before we know it.

Matt Brown is a senior in political science. He can be reached at [email protected].