Watch parties across Penn’s campus devolved into surprise and sorrow through early Wednesday morning with students expressing anxiety and dismay as former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump appeared poised for a second term.
Soon after the polls closed at 8 p.m., students flocked to watch parties at residential college houses with mixed feelings of uncertainty, nervousness, and excitement about the possibilities of the election. As the night progressed, many students tracked the results with growing distress as Trump neared the necessary electoral vote threshold while others shared a more neutral or cautious outlook.
Around 50 students gathered at Gutmann College House to watch ABC News election coverage. The room was filled with lively discussion as students lined up for free falafel wraps and discussed their hopes for the night ahead.
College first year Phillip Nguyen, who is also a secretary senior deputy for Penn Democrats, spoke early on in the night of his extensive involvement in this year’s election cycle, describing his intended role to "defend democracy."
"This is my first election cycle, and I’m just really, really anxious about the outcome," Nguyen said, hours before the Trump call.
Students shifted their attention more closely to the TV screen as results came in throughout the night. Some groups discussed the implications of each state update, while others quietly observed, periodically refreshing news sources on their phones. While the number of students dwindled as the night continued, those who remained expressed distress at the progression of the state calls.
Graduate student Leaf Ye, who called herself politically liberal, said that she was deeply concerned about the consequences of a Trump presidency on reproductive justice.
“I haven't allowed myself to visualize what another four years of Trump in office would look like. I haven't processed the way of that, and all the possibilities that could bring,” Ye said. “It just feels really unbelievable that there are people who vote in a way that's so inconceivably immoral and illogical to me.”
In contrast, Engineering sophomore Connor Wang said at 11 p.m. that he was not "particularly stressed out" because he did not believe either presidential choice would significantly improve or worsen his life.
"I really don't have very strong views either way, so I'm not particularly upset whatever happens," Wang said.
Emotions ran high at the Riepe College House election watch party, which alternated between screening CNN and MSNBC.
Students chattered, yelled across the room at times, and crowded around the couch debating which candidate would win each state. Harris’ win of New York elicited cheers from the audience.
Early in the night, students at the Riepe watch party expressed optimism about the night ahead.
College first year and Class of 2028 president Mert Kayabas, who is also a former staffer for The Daily Pennsylvanian, said he was excited to see the results come in as polls closed and noted a general feeling of excitement around the election.
“It’s really nice to be surrounded by people who care as much as I care,” Kayabas said. “We’re in a diverse college where everybody has different opinions and although we are a more left-leaning liberal college, it’s very nice to get different perspectives from people who care about it as much as you do.”
As the night continued, some students shared growing feelings of anxiety about the direction of the election results.
College first year Howe Chen said shortly before 11 p.m. that he felt “a little pessimistic and afraid” as he watched Trump take the lead in electoral votes, while acknowledging that it typically takes longer to count Democratic-leaning large cities.
“I’m not hopeless, but I am definitely still anxious,” Chen said. “I think this election in general represents how polarized we are by party, but I didn’t think it would be this close considering how many devout Republicans announced support for Kamala.”
An hour later, Wharton first year Gauri Gupta expressed dismay at the disparity between her expectation for a Harris win and the incoming results.
“Now that I'm watching the polls in real time, it’s honestly nervewracking seeing how extremely close it is and trending towards Trump winning,” Gupta said. “I feel like it completely contradicts all the campaign and election spirit I've seen at Penn. I know that the votes are still trickling in, and I'm still trying to keep my hopes up.”
Hill College House broadcast CNN election coverage in a club lounge and central atrium to a crowd of around 150 students. Elizabeth Scheyder, a faculty fellow at Hill College House, said that the watch party was organized to provide an opportunity for students to come together to watch the future unfold.
“We have so many students who vote, or it's their first time watching an election in the United States,” Scheyder said. “They wanted to come see it."
College first year Zoe Anyanwu said she joined her friends to watch the election with an understanding, as a first-time voter, of "what’s at stake" and how it affects her future.
The succession of Trump calls for states caused some students a sense of foreboding about the election’s direction. After Trump won the swing state North Carolina, College first year Robin Anand said it was a “bad harbinger” for Trump’s momentum in other states considered pivotal.
Some students at Hill spoke about ways to cope with the stress as Trump won several battleground states, detailing drinking games as Harris lost or won a state because of the "stressful" nature of the election.
After Georgia was called for Trump, Wharton first year Maya Echambadi said the situation felt "a little apocalyptic.”
Shortly after midnight, Nursing first year Michael Parella, who attended the Riepe watch party, told the DP that the results so far had completely contradicted his expectations for a Harris win.
"I have knocked on over 2,000 doors. I have done so much for the Kamala Harris campaign. I’ve called so many phones," he said. "And we’re f**ked. We’re f**ked. We’re kind of screwed over, and I’m heartbroken, and I felt so confident."
"I think just saying 'we’re f**ked' has summed up this entire night as a whole," Parella added.
Daniya Siddiqui and Megan Liu contributed reporting to this article.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to remove a quote from a student included under the incorrect terms of attribution, and to clarify the stance of a student at the Riepe College House watch party.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate
