WINTER PARK, Fla. – People around the country stopped what they were doing Wednesday to watch history happen as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took their oaths of office, sworn in as our next president and vice president. 

For many college students and first time voters watching, Wednesday's inauguration ceremonies hold a special significance. 

“I felt it was an important moment for me to witness,” said Taryn Green, a freshman student at Rollins College. 

The Rollins College campus sat quiet Wednesday as students like Green took a break from schoolwork to watch the presidential inauguration. 

“Biden’s speech was so inspiring, he used ‘we’ statements, he talked about unity,” Green said. "And when he addressed the American people, he used 'my fellow Americans'. People who disagreed with him weren't un-American in his eyes, he was trying to bring everyone together and I appreciated his call for unity."

This election and inauguration significant for students like Daniel Elliott. As a Republican, Elliott said watching the ceremonies made him feel better about our country’s future. 

“This was the very first election I could vote in and I voted for Biden. I voted for Biden because I believed he could unite the country, that he would return us to some sense of political normalcy and bring back international respect for our country," Elliott said. "And when I watched the inaugural address, those were exactly the things in his speech."

Unlike most years, the pandemic prevented many in-person watch parties and discussions around the inauguration. Instead, they moved virtual to get students talking. 

“Students are eager to talk to one another, regardless of the format. They want to hear from their peers, they want to hear diverse perspectives on everything that’s happening in the country and we want to provide a space for them to do that,” said Bailey Clark, Associate Director of the Center for Leadership and Community Engagement at Rollins College. 

The virtual forums allowed students a safe space to talk about historic firsts being made, as Kamala Harris becomes the first woman and first woman of color to serve as Vice President. 

“Just one word, yes! I was so excited," Green said. "I understand this is a big step for women everywhere especially people of color as well. And I just see her breaking down doors."

While the day’s inauguration events wind down, both Green and Elliott said it’s allowing their interest in our nation’s politics and democracy to turn up. 

“It was something really special, something I’m going to remember for a long time,” Elliott said. ​