Many head to Bay Area Smash Room to relieve post-election feelings

SAN FRANCISCO – Election Day is over but some people are still feeling the burnout and anxiety that came with it.
They’re finding creative outlets to relieve those feelings, like spending an evening at Bay Area Smash Room.
The election was characterized by polarizing candidates and issues and Alys Landle has some uncertain feelings about the results.
“Not great, not terrible,” said Landale.
She says days later, she’s still carrying some of the weight of the election with her.
“I wasn’t too happy with the results of the election, obviously, but you do what you can,” said Landale. “I think that just being here will let me get out some of the feelings I have.”
So she suited up and headed into the smash room.
Jordan Aban works the front desk, he says Landale isn’t the only person choosing to break things to deal with the results.
“Amongst a lot of things they come here frustrated about I would say the election is something they’ve been frustrated about recently,” said Aban.
He gives them some simple guidelines to make the most of their time in the smash room.
“Just go crazy, get all your frustrations out,” said Aban. “I want to hear you laugh, scream, cry. Whatever you need to get out, I want to hear it.”
Employee William Roberson wants to create a safe place for people to process whatever they’re going through and he believes politics has been on people’s minds for a while now.
“I’ve noticed a lot of posts on the wall that are related to what’s going on the last four years, some of the posts are ‘insensitive’, let’s say, but people are working out their frustrations,” said Roberson.
Although it may sound loud and chaotic, it brings Landale peace.
“It’s like a catharsis and you feel the release of emotions,” she said. “There’s part of that, but it’s just an enjoyable way to vent all your feels, ya know?”
Landale, and many others, left with a smile, something that is needed during divisive times.