UA students witness history at inauguration
Alex Lanis
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: News
Another reason given for spending the gas money was the sentimental value to those students who had never voted in a presidential race before.
"I'm a first-time voter, and the chance to be there when he was inaugurated, along with such an historic environment, was something I couldn't miss," said Amar Mekic, a junior finance major.
Washington was very crowded on and preceding Inauguration Day, but students found that the most entertaining part.
"At first, it was surreal. We met people from all over the place," Matt Haynie, a junior political science major, said. "I talked to a lady who traveled all the way from Jamaica just to see the inauguration."
Haynie was another student chosen by the CLCE to travel to D.C..
"We sat in a Subway for three hours talking to some guys from California. The Metro was completely blocked, so we waited it out with some footlongs," Mekic said.
The inauguration was so large this year, the D.C. Metro broke its all-time travel record with almost a million trips, according to the area transit Web site.
Students who did not travel with the CLCE did not have a tour bus to bring them into the center of town and had little choice in getting to the inauguration other than riding the congested lines.
"Getting locked in the Metro station was the worst part of the trip," Miles said.
He and thousands of others were unable to exit stations for more than an hour because of the crowds in the stations and streets, as well as worries from authorities of people getting trampled.
"I now know what it feels [like] to be a sardine," Mendoza said.
Even with the difficulties, students didn't seem to mind too much.
"We got up at four or so, and left at five," Matt Haynie said, "and it was freezing outside, but it was worth it."
"It was amazing. As a first generation African American student, he's very inspiring," said Amber Bell. "It's proof you can do anything. I mean, he's president!"
"I'm a first-time voter, and the chance to be there when he was inaugurated, along with such an historic environment, was something I couldn't miss," said Amar Mekic, a junior finance major.
Washington was very crowded on and preceding Inauguration Day, but students found that the most entertaining part.
"At first, it was surreal. We met people from all over the place," Matt Haynie, a junior political science major, said. "I talked to a lady who traveled all the way from Jamaica just to see the inauguration."
Haynie was another student chosen by the CLCE to travel to D.C..
"We sat in a Subway for three hours talking to some guys from California. The Metro was completely blocked, so we waited it out with some footlongs," Mekic said.
The inauguration was so large this year, the D.C. Metro broke its all-time travel record with almost a million trips, according to the area transit Web site.
Students who did not travel with the CLCE did not have a tour bus to bring them into the center of town and had little choice in getting to the inauguration other than riding the congested lines.
"Getting locked in the Metro station was the worst part of the trip," Miles said.
He and thousands of others were unable to exit stations for more than an hour because of the crowds in the stations and streets, as well as worries from authorities of people getting trampled.
"I now know what it feels [like] to be a sardine," Mendoza said.
Even with the difficulties, students didn't seem to mind too much.
"We got up at four or so, and left at five," Matt Haynie said, "and it was freezing outside, but it was worth it."
"It was amazing. As a first generation African American student, he's very inspiring," said Amber Bell. "It's proof you can do anything. I mean, he's president!"
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