I think this is right! (Though cynically it seems plausible that the _timing_ of the delay announcement was related, in that they wanted to divert attention from the firings)

I saw a couple of parents at my polling place that looked like they might be in this boat with you 😅

"In boxes" sounds to me like it should mean verklempt. "My friend saw that there's a new ACNH update and is totally in boxes over it"