Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have the President of the United States of America right in front of you?  Well, I can tell you all about it.  On January 20, 2017, I was in Washington D.C. to witness Donald J. Trump being sworn into office as the 45th President of the United States.  I can still remember the omnipresent cold, crisp air that burned my lungs.  The whole day was miserable, but special at the same time because I was one of the many thousands who were there to witness history in the making.

At approximately 3:00 in the morning, all students on Closeup were trudging out of the door to go to the Inauguration.  The moon was radiant and still peaked way up in the sky.  The wind was relentless and never came to an end, making the morning even more miserable.  Every single student groaned and moaned like zombies because we were all beyond tired.  When I first woke up, my body was screaming to get back in bed, but I knew I would never make the event in time if I stayed in bed.  Somehow, I made it out of the hotel with everyone else, and we headed straight towards the Capitol, along with thousands of others. 

There were so many people attending the Inauguration that the D.C. police department had to set sky-high barriers to block traffic.  I thought I was in a maze due to most of the streets being blocked and nowhere to go.  However, we eventually made it to the Capitol after a tiresome journey.  Most of us were also given tickets so that we would be closer than general admission, which was eight blocks from where the President would be.  Although I could barely see people who resembled ants on the balcony, I was witnessing history in the making.  For the eight hours before the ceremony, we stretched out on the rubber, bumpy ground and relaxed.  As time went on, I could feel tiny droplets bounce off of my rain jacket.  My fingers became numb due to the freezing weather and the rushing wind pushing against my body, as well as my face that became cold as ice with my rose-colored cheeks.  Although I looked like the Michelin Man waddling around, I was still shivering in the freezing weather.  And then finally, after so much anticipation, the President walked out and everyone went crazy with lots of clapping and chanting.  The President and Vice President were then sworn in, and Mr. Trump gave a small speech thanking everyone for coming and promising he would make America great again. Even though I was grouchy, tired, and freezing, everything was worth the pain because I witnessed a very important moment in history.

After the Inauguration, we walked what seemed an endless journey until we got back to the hotel.  My feet were as swollen as a pregnant lady’s feet, so I rubbed them to make feel a little better.  I then remember sliding into bed and drifting to sleep.  I can not even remember how long I slept for because I was that tired.  When I woke up, I was off to the next activity of the day, even though nothing could top the Inauguration.

Although that day will be remembered for being mostly miserable, I will never forget the thrill of seeing the President of the United States of America being sworn in.  I witnessed history and that memory will always stay with me so I can pass it on to more people.