Thigh-High Politics is an op-ed column by Teen Vogue writer Lauren Duca that breaks down the news, provides resources for the resistance, and just generally refuses to accept toxic nonsense.

Way too many Americans think about politics in the way of the Olympics — like it’s some big event that happens every few years, all but forgotten until the ad campaigns start up again. That’s unacceptable from an intellectual perspective and also a practical one. America the idea wasn’t magically complete because a bunch of white dudes in wigs wrote their names in fountain pen. The Declaration of Independence was always intended as a beginning, the formation of a dynamic entity that requires input, participation, and occasionally protest. The past few months’ spike in political action has been painted as radical, but it should be closer to a core requirement for daily life in this country. Or, a bit less romantically, if America wants to be exceptional, we need to stop treating democracy like a self-cleaning litter box.

The glass-half-full reading of the election is that Trump’s rise to power has awakened much of the public from a state of hibernation. Take a moment to relish in the invigorating statistics: In the five days following November 8, the American Civil Liberties Union collected $7 million from 120,000 donations (as compared to $28,000 from 354 donations over the same period in 2012, according to The New York Times). The day after the inauguration, statistical analysis site FiveThirtyEight estimated that more than 3 million people marched in more than 300 U.S. cities in affirmation of not only women’s rights, but a range of issues united by the common theme of equality. Ever since the election, there has been a noticeable surge in efforts to contact representatives, and, oh, hey, those calls have been proven to work! (On a far smaller scale, more than 50 people sent me postcards announcing that they care about the release of Trump’s tax returns — that’s not insignificant).

The resistance has a beating heart, and those numbers are the receipts to prove it. Now, to all the recently indoctrinated freedom fighters: Welcome! There are many for whom none of this is new, and to them — especially the women of color who were marching long before January 21, 2017 — newly activated activists owe gratitude, respect, and endurance. This can’t be a fad. Let’s not delude ourselves into thinking that picking up the phone, demonstrating, or donating was some funky thing we’re trying for a couple of months, because those things are the starter kit for a politically active life. This has to be our routine, at least for the next four years and, if we all survive, well beyond it.

Each day brings a fresh crop of horrors, and the deluge is part of the strategy. The Trump administration is bombarding us with things to be devastated by, disseminating executive orders and disinformation with the rapidity of a malfunctioning strobe light. It’s a drain-clogging effort aimed at lulling the country into a state of apathy by force of overload. When Trump and his surrogates pump falsehoods into the news cycle, the goal is not to convince the public of “alternative facts” but to make people throw up their hands in confusion and give up, thinking, “Who even knows what’s true anymore?” Instead of worrying that they are attempting to distract and confuse us into oblivion, figure out a trustworthy media diet that makes sense for you, and stick to it. From there, be vigilant, and take action where necessary. I promise this will help manage that pesky feeling of inevitable doom. Take care of yourself, but also make a sustainable commitment to remaining productive. Angry energy without purpose will only turn into despair.