Campus erupted on Tuesday night after Senator Barrack Obama (D-IL) was officially declared the 44th president of the United States—the country’s first African American president. Students celebrated this historic and long-awaited victory both on Foss Hill and outside of Usdan.
After Obama was announced the winner, the campus united in an outpouring of elation and triumph. On Foss Hill, students cheered “USA!” “Obama,” and “Na Na Na Na, Goodbye,” segueing into the Wesleyan Fight Song, the Star-Spangled Banner and “Olé!”
“It was the shit,” said Zoe Jick ’11. “There was a lot of screaming. I was running back and forth from Foss Hill and Usdan, getting more and more pumped up. Every time I was inside the circle [of students], it felt like the whole campus was there.”
Students reveled in the victory and let loose—screaming across campus.
“It was very nice to be in Usdan. I have never been in a room with [almost] the entire University before. For all of us to be united, it’s very refreshing,” said Jia Yee ’09.
Even President Michael Roth joined in the celebration at Usdan.
“We waved an American flag, and I marveled at the feelings of hope and enthusiasm that were rippling through this Wesleyan crowd,” Roth wrote in a Nov. 5 entry on his blog.
Other students had trouble containing their emotions.
“I was crying, I couldn’t help it,” said Hope Campbell-Gustafson ’12. “I was in Butt B, Wash, then Usdan. There’s no other place I’d rather be than Wesleyan [that night]. The energy was amazing. It was fabulous. Everyone’s walking around smiling today.”
In particular, some students were struck by a new, sincere sense of patriotism on campus.
“Singing the ’Star-Spangled Banner’ together was the most moving moment,” said Nate Mondschein ’12. “It’s the first time I’ve been proud singing that in a long time.”
After Obama’s first speech as President-elect, Tucker Kline ’12, Jake Schofield ’12 and Calvin Goetz ’12, the self-proclaimed “Westco shirtless bros,” decided to continue the celebration.
“The first thing we did, we starting bumping ’Barack Obama’, the reggae song [in the Westco courtyard], then joined everyone on the hill,” Schofield said. “Everyone was freaking out, there was jubilation all around. During the acceptance speech, we brought our speakers to Usdan so everyone could be joyous together. We were there until 2:30 a.m. It was the best dance party ever.”
Dave Meyer, director of Public Safety, said that overall, the night went well—no complaints were made. Some officers were asked to stay an extra hour and Public Safety met with the Middletown Police Department, but no extra actions were needed. Officers spoke to a few students, but said they were very good thereafter.
“Everyone was in good spirits,” Meyer said. “There wasn’t too much alcohol consumption or disorderly behavior. Just when you have that many people, you want to be aware.”
Meyer said that Tuesday was the biggest reaction to an election that the campus has ever seen.
“I remember when Ronald Reagan was elected, everyone was out on the hill crying,” he said. “Definitely because of its historic nature, [this reaction to Obama] was above and beyond some of the others.”
For some students, excitement has already died down as they begin to question whether President-elect Obama will be able to live up to the country’s high expectations of him and enact change in the face of challenges.
“In his speech, Obama said that government is not going to solve all our problems, and he’s right, we need to solve our problems,” said Jon Booth ’12.
Despite the daunting issues Obama will face come January, many students are grateful for the end of George W. Bush’s eight-year presidency and are ready for a new start.
Election night was memorable for its historic significance, and the spontaneous, exultant campus-wide celebration that ensued.
Lilah Sloane ’11 summed up the moment in a common phrase of the Obama campaign over the last two years.
“People have hope again,” she said.
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