Camryn Gray: Election Night Anxiety

I was refreshing the internet every second I could to see who would be the first to 270 electoral votes. Would it be Donald Trump or Joe Biden? My election anxieties were through the roof as I awaited to see who would be the next president of our nation.

I was never really interested in politics until this year because it all just seemed too boring and confusing for me. The quarantine time period due to COVID-19 allowed me to have the time to make an effort to try and learn more about politics. I knew so much more about politics by the time this academic year began. My motivation to learn about politics came from the realization that I will be able to vote in two years.

This election year is unlike any other that I have witnessed in my lifetime. I had never seen streets being shut down and stores boarded up for a presidential election before. The fact that this was happening only made my heart race and thoughts swirl as I awaited election day.

The election came closer and closer, until the day had arrived. I did not stay up late that night because I knew that it would be too close to call the race. The days went by after November 3 and that is when my nervous system took over for me. I knew which candidate I wanted to win over the other, and I was watching to see if he collected any more electoral votes by the minute.

I had many sleepless nights, tossing and turning about who would win this election. My brain said to me, “Ugh hurry up and count the votes,” “This is going to be one of the closest races in history,” “There is so much on the line,” or “I hope that state changes its color.”

I watched the live feed of the electoral college and the votes being counted as my foot was nervously twitching. I was trying not to consume myself with the election too much, so I could get some sleep. I did finally get some sleep after my nervous energy slightly decreased.

The next day was a Saturday, and I was headed to dance practice. I had been at my dance studio for about two hours, and then the news broke. A girl came in and exclaimed, “Joe Biden won the election!” A wave of relief crashed over me as I knew that the persistent arguing from both parties would rest, regardless of which candidate won. 

The American people had one of the best voter turnouts in history, which proves that we all truly believed and stood up for something. Joe Biden won both the electoral college and the popular vote, which proves that he was the choice of the American people.

The country and the world had the biggest celebration I had ever witnessed after a presidential election. The nation had officially set its own record by having the first female and BIPOC vice president. The joy and excitement was overwhelming from the people as Joe Biden was declared the next president of the United States of America.