Twizzlers, sparkling stars, games and friendship came together to create a viewing party exclusive to Cobeen Hall.
Community Programming Council is hosting a red, white and blue viewing party tonight in Cobeen’s basement. The council discussed the idea with their hall director and decided it would be fun to host for the election in which most Marquette students are first-time voters.
Mara Garran, a freshman in the College of Business Administration and a member of Cobeen CPC, helped organize the event.
“I just knew it was a very controversial election and I knew people would talk about it,” Garran said.
The party started at 7:15 p.m. and is expected to run until the final results are in. However, not everyone is sure they can stay that long.
“I kind of want to (stay at the party), but I have a calc exam tomorrow,” Garran said.
But calculus is not the major stressor tonight.
“I was alone in my room refreshing the results like a mad man because I’ve been following this so closely since the primaries,” Emily Grewe, a freshman in the College of Communication, said. “I just needed to come down and vent my stresses.”
Even with a chaotic evening filled with uncertainty, the viewing party is meant to relieve stress and add some fun to this historic election.
The basement is full of patriotic party elements, including a star-themed photo booth, pin the tail on the donkey and elephant, colorful maps, streamers, music and red, white and blue food.
The atmosphere is drawing people out of their rooms and into the basement to get to know each other.
“One of (my friends) was (here),” Grewe said. “I’m mingling right now.”
Cobeen’s CPC Educational Programming Committee is glad to see their hard work pay off and watch residents bond throughout the night while having positive discussions.
“It’s a way to show that you are in tune with what is going on in society, so you aren’t blind,” Brea Brennan, a freshman in the College of Engineering, said. “It’s good to hear what everyone has to say.”
While Cobeen is having a viewing party that will last until the final numbers roll in, the College of Communication is hosting a viewing party in the jPad in Johnston Hall.
Karen Hoffman, visiting assistant professor of political science and associate director of the Les Aspin Center for Government, headed up the viewing party, which ran until 10 p.m. tonight.
The room was packed with students. Many communications professors asked their classes to come to the party, which was complete with Qdoba catering and Papa John’s pizza. Students also invited friends to tag along.
Even though the party ended, Jacqueline Klingman, a sophomore in the College of Communication, and Bridget Mountain, a junior in the College of Communication, are having their own viewing party.
“I think we’re gonna head out around 9 … move things back over to her apartment,” Klingman said.
“We saw the poster out there and thought we might as well watch it instead of trying to find streaming online,” Mountain said. “So it’s a good idea to have people here.”
They plan to move the viewing party to an apartment after the jPad get-together officially ends.
While the parties draw to a close, some students will be on the edges of their seats until the final results roll in.
“I won’t be going to bed until I know who’s president,” Mountain said.
