Inauguration

What an incredible day.

When we left campus at 5:45 a.m., a crescent moon was shining in the deep navy blue sky. By the time we made it out of Metro's L'fEnfant Plaza station almost 75 minutes later, an indigo sky and the artificial orange glow of street lights bathed the river of people on Seventh Street. One name graced many of their hats, scarves, shirts and sweatshirts. Shouts of "Good Morning," and "Welcome to the Inauguration," came from red-hat clad volunteers.

By 7:30 the six of us were rooted to a spot of the National Mall's cold packed dirt between Seventh and Fourth Streets. We stood, we (well, I,) dozed, we waited. The sky went from lavender to to cerulean and the sun's pointed rays did nothing to keep the 20-degree air from seeping through the multiple layers of socks, gloves, leggings, and sweatshirts, numbing our fingers and toes.

While we waited, we sang along to "American Pie" and "This Land is Your Land" replayed from Sunday's concert. We stamped our feet and marched in place to jumpstart blood flow. We craned our necks around the 6-foot-4 guys in front of us for fleeting glimpses at the jumbotron. We waved the American flags the Boy Scouts of America gave us. The occasional pushy spectator jostled through, but despite everything, a celebratory air permeated the jovial crowd.

Four-and-a-half hours later, our 43rd president was introduced for the last time. Many booed; we didn't. Our country's leaders deserve respect, whether or not their policies are agreeable. Then our 44th president stepped up to take his oath. The jumbotron came into view and I captured the botched swearing-in on video.

Finally the moment arrived. Ever since I missed the Obama rally on campus during the 2006 midterm elections, I'd been waiting to hear the Great One speak. Sure, the best view might come from sitting at home, but the enraptured silence of the audience, the echo of his voice off the city's marble monuments telling us how we will succeed, nothing, absolutely nothing can top that.

Officially, Obama's constituency resides in the United States. But the entire world seems to be pinning everything on this man's shoulders. I don't think anyone has ever faced such pressure. Yet in this speech, Barack Obama reminded us that and that we will rise above these rough times not because we as Americans are entitled to, but because we owe it to the rest of the world to. It's no longer us vs. them, it's us and them.

No, charisma isn't everything and talk only gets us so far. But there is something in this man, a seed of passion, an innate determination that says, trust me. Things won't change tomorrow, but they will soon enough.

So was it worth it? Braving the cold for more than four hours, weaving through intense crowds for in search of food for another hour, standing in a stuffy hallway for two more hours while waiting for the Metro back to campus- a total of 13 hours, sore legs and an aching back just to hear an 18-minute speech? Yes, it was worth every bone-chilling moment, made even the better because each was spent with friends new and old.

Incredible, indeed.