I never realized how many historic events I’ve lived through until just recently.
I remember when Princess Diana was killed. I had been fascinated by her as a child; she was my hero. She died on my tenth birthday. I cried. I still have a poster of her hanging in my bedroom at home.
By Daniella Choynowski
Center Spread Editor
I never realized how many historic events I’ve lived through until just recently.
I remember when Princess Diana was killed. I had been fascinated by her as a child; she was my hero. She died on my tenth birthday. I cried. I still have a poster of her hanging in my bedroom at home.
I remember where I was when the first tower fell on September 11th. It was the very end of math class, and my teacher got a phone call. She turned on the TV, and the whole class barely got a glimpse of the inferno before the class change bell range. We all rushed downstairs to science, where the TV was already on. We were all in shock-it seemed like a joke. Fifteen minutes later, we were all sent home. I cried.
I remember where I was when Saddam Hussein was caught. “Spongebob” was interrupted by a news bulletin. There was a man in an Army uniform standing in front of a bunch of reporters who said “Ladies and gentlemen, we got him.” I didn’t cry, but I do remember running outside and jumping up and down. Firecrackers and yelling from my neighbors echoed the relief I think everyone in the world felt at that moment.
I don’t believe I’ll ever forget when President Barack Obama was inaugurated. I was sitting at my computer, trying to log onto “Inauguration Live on Facebook”. Unfortunately, everyone else on the planet was trying to do the same thing. Miraculously, I got through the electronic waiting line and there he was.
I’ll never forget that feeling I had watching the camera pan out over the tens of thousands gathered in Washington. So many faces full of joy and hope. So many diverse faces. I held my breathe as he walked forward to take the oath. And I, like many others, immediately asked myself, “How many news stations will replay the soon-to-be-infamous oath blunder?” I cried when Obama was sworn in as the 44th President.
In the past, when a president (mainly our last president) would give a speech, I would normally wait for it to be replayed/lampooned on “The Daily Show.” For some reason, I never hung on Bush’s words. When Obama gave his first speech, I was filled with pride. Though I was miles away in Greensburg, I knew I was in the presence of greatness.
All four of the events I mentioned shared a common trait: they united the world, whether it was in mourning, shock, joy or awe. Never before have I seen a single country’s election affect the rest of the world. People stopped me on the streets of Paris and, noticing the Obama button on my purse, asked me if I had any extra.
This election was the beginning of a major global change, and the the rest of the world knows it. And I have faith that that change will be for the better. I hope I’m not wrong.