By Kenzie Hoinkis

    This past Monday, the 26th of September, was the much anticipated 2016 Presidential Debate, and what better way to celebrate than a Presidential Debate Watching Party? This event was sponsored by Stockton University’s Political Engagement & American Democracy Project and was held in the Board of Trustees Room. This party, which was accompanied with complementary popcorn and soda, began at 8 o’clock but had a steady flow of students entering the room until a few minutes after nine. As the number of people grew, extra chairs had to be placed out; it was obvious this was a bigger event than initially thought and the original guess of people attending had been greatly underestimated.

    As we settled in, the event’s organizers handed out Democracy Bingo Cards. Each block of the cards was a common phrase that would be crossed off if and when one of the candidates said it during the debate. There were some phrases that were virtual giveaways, like the “make America great again” block. This bingo was a great idea for getting people involved and encouraging us to pay close attention to what was being said in the debate.

    Another interesting aspect of this event was a large screen off to the side of the room; a livestream of tweets from people across the country about the debate were projected onto the screen. It was a cool way to feel connected, and it felt like the whole country was watching this debate together. The livestream of tweets was definitely an example of the beneficial uses of social media, a platform that usually receives harsh criticism.

    I really enjoyed this event that encouraged us to get involved and pay attention to the politics that will largely impact our lives. There will be future Debate Parties for the rest of this Presidential campaign and I can’t wait to attend them.