With the Nigerian elections currently ongoing, all I and other Nigerians round the globe can really think about at this moment is the future of our country.

I am tense and at the edge of my seat as I type. Refreshing browser pages for election updates every few minutes even though the process is mostly manual and therefore slow and grueling.

If you are like me, here are three things we can all try together to maintain our sanity as we wait –

a. Keep misinformation at bay

There’s a ton of misinformation going around at the moment with nameless, faceless social media accounts putting up random figures as polling unit results. Even some well-known accounts are not innocent of this.

Rather than spiral out of fear that your preferred candidate might be losing or rejoice prematurely that they are winning, it is best to seek out accurate updates from verified sources.

b. Take frequent social media breaks

Most of the info-spread is happening on social media. For those who voted, trust that you have done your part. Try to take 10 to 15 minute breaks away from social media and divert your focus onto other activities while hoping for the best. Afterall, the elections are just the first part on the journey towards fixing our dear country.

c. Speak to someone

We are all going through a pretty uncertain time and speaking to someone, perhaps another Nigerian who understands how nerve-wracking all of this is, could be potentially helpful. You might also feel better by letting out your thoughts, hopes and fears.

I hope this helps someone out here!