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President Trump鈥檚 inauguration was broadcast for the whole world to see, but a handful of students from Coastal Carolina University and Socastee High School had an opportunity to see it in person.

Cobi Williams, a political science and business management double major at Coastal, left early last week to meet with coworkers in Washington D.C. so he could attend the inauguration.

鈥淚 interned for Congressman Tom Rice in his district and in the D.C. offices in 2015, so I went up there to watch the inauguration with many people I worked with during that time,鈥� Williams said.

Williams鈥� stay in the nation鈥檚 capital was exciting and crowded, he said.

鈥淭he city was amazing,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淚t was filled with people and with excitement for the inauguration, and I had a lot of great experiences with tons of people there.鈥�

Williams has been a supporter of Trump since the beginning, he said.

鈥淸Trump] is a successful businessman that will ensure accountability and productivity in our government,鈥� Williams said.

Williams thinks Trump is focused on helping the American people and creating jobs.

鈥淛ust look at the businesses that are already starting to come back and add jobs within the United States since the election,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淓ven before being inaugurated, big businesses were responding to President Trump鈥檚 emphasis on American jobs 鈥� no other incoming president has been able to do that.鈥�

Williams, who did not help campaign for Trump because of his school commitments and focus on his nonprofit, Cobi鈥檚 Coats For Kids, said that the difference between the atmosphere in the city is marked.

Koppel and the other Socastee attendees had been to Washington D.C. during their freshman year to visit museums and monuments in the city, so during their trip to the inauguration they focused on the political aspects of the city.

鈥淎fter the inauguration on Friday, we walked over to [U.S. Senator] Tim Scott鈥檚 office and got to sit and talk with him, talk with some of his interns and secretaries, and met his mom,鈥� Koppel said. 鈥淭he inauguration and meeting with Tim Scott were the two educational things we did there.鈥�

The inauguration, Koppel said, was fascinating.

鈥淲e got there really early in the morning,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey had screens and televisions going, talking about the history of our country and important events and people.鈥�

Because they got to the inauguration so early, they were able to get close to the ceremony.

鈥淲e were on the lawn of the Capitol,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檇 say we were probably 300 meters away from the Capitol Building.鈥�

Koppel said she was not worried about protests in the city, but she and the rest of the group did have a chance to see the Women鈥檚 March on the Saturday after the inauguration.

鈥淚 was very amazed that, although some of the things they were protesting I didn鈥檛 agree with, they were protesting peacefully,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t was cool to see all those people coming together for the same reason and doing it peacefully, because you鈥檝e seen all around the country lately that the protests have turned violent and ended up killing people and destroying property.鈥�

Despite disagreeing with many of Trump鈥檚 statements in the past and having some concerns about his potential actions in office, Koppel is willing to give him a chance.

鈥淚n certain aspects of his job as president, I would approach it cautiously,鈥� she said.

鈥淗e has a temper, he tweets things he probably shouldn鈥檛 tweet and says things he probably shouldn鈥檛 say.鈥�

Koppel does have some concerns about how Trump will handle diplomacy because of his volatility, but she does see many positives about him as well.

鈥淗e鈥檚 going to do a great job with helping people get jobs and get out of debt, and get people off welfare and into jobs, so our economy can grow and not just be in a standstill,鈥� she said.

Both Williams and Koppel say they are going to remember their experiences for the rest of their lives.

鈥淚t is something I鈥檒l never forget, something I鈥檒l be telling my children and grandchildren about one day,鈥� Williams said.

鈥淲hen I grow up and have kids, I鈥檓 going to try to take them to go experience that,鈥� Koppel said. 鈥淚t was very cool to watch, and I鈥檒l be able to tell them I got to see the 45th President of the United States get inaugurated.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e spent semesters interning on Capitol Hill and it was just an entirely different experience,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭he entire city shuts down for the inauguration and it鈥檚 something truly amazing to witness.鈥�

Socastee High School junior Megan Koppel attended the inauguration along with members of the school鈥檚 Young Republicans club.

鈥淚 had a lot of fun,鈥� Koppel said of the trip. 鈥淚t was a really cool experience.鈥�