Students, Athens residents steady themselves for second Trump presidency

For people globally, the 2024 presidential race was both hopeful and fear-inducing. As votes were counted, people in Athens County watched from bars on Court Street, residence halls on Ohio University’s campus and anywhere else with an internet connection, bracing for any result. 

When President-elect Donald Trump officially won at around 3 a.m., some students and locals woke up to texts from family members and anxiety-filled social media feeds.