The United States of America is gearing up to bid farewell to its current president, Barack Obama, and welcome its newest president, Donald Trump. January 20th, 2017 marks the end of an era and signifies the beginning of another.

Obama is not officially finished as our nation’s forty-fourth president until 11 AM CST of inauguration day. Although he is currently in what is regarded as the “lame-duck period”, he is not sitting idle. He is making efforts in ensuring a smooth transition of power to Trump while making sure to cement his legacy in office and establishing his final priorities for the country. At the same time, he and the rest of the Obama family are saying their final goodbyes to the country as they set to stand with us not as the First Family, but as fellow citizens. Michelle Obama spoke in an emotional speech on January 6th, touching upon a variety of topics in her final White House remarks. She spoke directly to America’s youth, encouraging them to pursue a good education and to “use that education to build a country worthy of your boundless promise”. She closed with saying that serving as First Lady was “the greatest honor of [her] life.”  Obama held his farewell speech on January 10th at McCormick Place in Chicago.

The Trump Family will soon be entering the White House. As with any election, Donald Trump’s presidency drew mixed reactions. The 2016 election in particular seemed to completely shock the world. Some think that he will bring a fresh perspective to D.C. and the rest of the United States. Others are worried about what that perspective entails and what that means for them and the people around them. Of course, this is all speculation; only time will tell how the Trump presidency will play out.