Whether or not you voted for President Barack Obama in November, you are still a part of history this year. This past weekend was a very historical and very important step in our nation’s history.
President Barack Obama was sworn in at noon on Sunday, Jan. 20, officially beginning his second term as president. The traditional date for inaugurations is Jan. 20, but this year the day fell on a Sunday, a day that does not usually hold the public ceremonies.
Because of this, the public ceremony, which is a real piece of American history, took place on Monday, Jan. 21. This type of day is one where I think all Americans, regardless of political affiliation, can come together and enjoy the day’s events.
Washington, D.C. officials projected that 500,000 to 700,000 people would attend Obama’s second inauguration. While the District of Columbia has yet to release the official numbers, an inaugural official reported that approximately one million people went to Washington, D.C. to watch the inauguration ceremony in person. Approximately 1.8 million people went to Obama’s first inauguration in 2009, surpassing the 1.2 million record Lyndon Johnson set in 1965.
I will not just blabber on about the historical moments of this day and the significance of things that are happening in our country. If you read the news you know what is going on around the world, and you know that there will always, always be things that need to change.
It almost seems appropriate that the inauguration ceremonies fall on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Four years ago, during Obama’s first inauguration, the MLK, Jr. Memorial was not on National Mall, as it was not open until October 2011. But this year was different, as the memorial was standing there looking over ceremonies and looking over the large crowds. Obama also took his oath on a Bible King once owned.
As I sat and watched the ceremonies from the comfort of my own bed and saw all the dignities come down the steps at the Capitol Building, I could not help but feel very patriotic. I do not think this feeling I have is an uncommon one. The cheers of about 800,000 were heard above the music. “Obama, Obama, Obama!” The crowd was a happy one — that much was clear.
I think that, as college students, we all must remember that the legislation that is passed under the president will have a direct impact on our lives. Basically, I think that we as a group of very intelligent, very ambitious and very talented students should, to quote The Beatles, “Come together, right now” to support whoever is running our country.
This is a whole new year and an entirely new chapter in people’s lives and, in turn, a completely new chapter for our country. I do not want to just dwell on the Inauguration during this whole column. I am very well aware that, as teenagers and young adults, we have other things on our mind. Things like getting all of our work done, making deadlines, keeping our friendships alive, striving to stay close to our families and trying to find ourselves.
After all, isn’t that what college is for? To help find ourselves, which can then help us to determine what we want to spend our lives doing? I am graduating college in less than one year, and I still have no idea what I want to spend my life doing. I think that is something extremely challenging for some people. But on the other hand, there are people who know what they want to do. I envy those people. I envy people who have already found what they love.
Granted, I love history, I truly do, but is it what I want to spend the rest of my life doing? I want to live my life on my own terms, and I think that is exactly what everyone else wants to do. Regardless of how you want to spend your life, think about what makes you truly happy, making those things your hobbies could be extremely beneficial to your life.
Now, I am not a medical expert, and I am definitely not trying to make you do anything you do not want to do, but I am basically thinking out loud. I have many opinions, and I have many opinions, and I have a lot of things to say. That is probably why I write columns.
I leave you with this thought: don’t grow up too fast, love your life and embrace everyday history. Just like the historical inauguration that took place this week, history is made every single day, and you are part of that history.
*** This editorial is an opinion stated by the writer and does not repres
