The United States election day began as any other in my house.
Those few seconds before I realized what day it was were blissful.
And then the emotions hit.
I joined many Canadians in holding my breath Tuesday as we waited to see whether incumbent president Donald Trump would hold office or if Democratic nominee Joe Biden would succeed.
Nov. 3 wasn’t necessarily circled on my calendar but it loomed large nonetheless — never have I even been so emotionally invested in a Canadian election, let alone an election in a country in which I do not live.
I was among those in 2016 shocked by Trump’s win over Hillary Clinton, so prepared for the worst this time around. “Dread with a chance of hope,” was how I characterized my state of being to just about anyone I talked to.
I thought I was prepared for whatever came with the day. I wasn’t.
At least the pizza was good.
If your election night was an emotional roller-coaster, you’re not alone. Here’s a look at mine Tuesday.
7 a.m.: Alarm goes off. All is well in the world.
7:01 a.m.: Realize it’s election day. Maybe not so much.
7:39 a.m.: American politician Pete Buttigieg tweets, “Imagine how it will feel the first time the sun comes up and Donald Trump is no longer the president of the United States.” I admire his optimism. I realize I’m not sure I share it.
10:46 a.m.: Email from a friend about Biden, “the next president of the United States,” doesn’t do much to quell the unease in the pit of my stomach.
1 p.m.: Watch Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s press conference on the province easing COVID-19 restrictions in the coming days and weeks. Elections in the middle of a global pandemic are too much.
2 p.m.: Turn on CNN. News breaks that some polls in North Carolina will stay open late after starting late due to minor issues at polling sites. “It’s going to be an extra long night,” CNN reports. It’s been five minutes and I’m already tired.
2:11 p.m.: Biden’s running mate, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris of California, speaking in Southfield, Mich., says she’s “at the point where I’m done talking about the guy in office right now.” Was anyone else delightfully unaware of how much we would be talking about Michigan at this point?
3:17 p.m.: The stress eating begins with a pack of Farm Boy sweet and spicy ginger cookies — highly recommend though I nearly burn the roof off my mouth as I shovelled them in at record speed.
3:18 p.m.: “There’s going to be a peaceful transition,” Biden says from Pennsylvania. Say a little prayer that he’s right.
3:20 p.m.: Tweet, “Talk to me about your election snacks.” Little did I know it would become the best part of the day.
5:43 p.m.: Missing the hum of the newsroom on election night. Order pizza from Blondies. Minutes later, a friend tries and they’re closed. An election night win (for me, at least). I’ll take the win.
6:18 p.m.: The first polls roll in out of Indiana on my television. On my computer, the contestants on “The Great British Bake Off” are trying to make short crust pastry on the hottest day of the year. Blood pressure rises.
6:45 p.m.: Pizza gets delayed. Bad sign? I’m concerned.
7:12 p.m.: Pizza arrives, everything’s back on track. Blondies’ Cold Drink/Hot Girl pizza is a must try.
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8 p.m.: Do a hit on sports radio, which begins with election talk. What did I learn from my snack poll, they ask? I should’ve made sure I had wine on hand, I say — seems like that’s what everyone else is doing. Applaud you forward thinkers.
8:34 p.m.: “Florida is looking a little red now,” Meet the Press moderator Chuck Todd says on NBC, just as my Twitter account blows up. A sign to sign off social media. Love you guys, but can barely handle my emotions, let alone yours.
9:27 p.m.: Text from a friend, “I feel like Trump is going to win.” Someone was bound to say it, but I wasn’t ready to hear it. Take the fetal position on the couch.
9:30 p.m.: Realize, like every other election, that paying attention to early results is an exercise in futility and a way to put yourself through the emotional wringer. Start frantically cleaning my apartment instead.
10:01 p.m.: Back on the couch, body vibrating with stress. Don’t want to look but can’t look away.
10:10 p.m.: “It’s early,” says John King on CNN. It’s basically my bedtime, John.
10:15 p.m.: “That’s what makes it fun,” says John King on CNN. This is not fun, John.
10:16 p.m.: Feel badly for directing all my ire at John King, who is doing a masterful job and must be exhausted. We all are at this point.
11:21 p.m.: Fox News calls Arizona as I’m drifting off to sleep and suddenly I’m alert again.
12:09 p.m.: The New York Times needle starts favouring Biden in Georgia as I’m drifting off and suddenly I’m alert again. It’s like nodding off on an airplane just to have your head snapped back when you’re finally catching some zzz’s.
2:31 a.m.: Still awake, somehow, and Trump is falsely claiming that he has won the election. Exhaustion turns to complete defeat, even though it’s clear no one’s actually been officially defeated. I’m calling it, at least.
4:39 a.m.: Wake up on the couch. Lights and television are still on. Phone is dead. Turning it on seems like turning the world back on, and it’s too early for that.
6:59 a.m.: Sun rises. Phone’s back on. Nothing’s decided, but it’s a sweet reminder that today’s another day.
8 a.m.: We’ll have to wait — a day or days or years — until Pete Buttigieg’s vision comes true, but at least there’s cold pizza for breakfast.
Correction -- Nov. 4, 2020: This article was edited to correct Joe Biden’s party affiliation.
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