After going through one security checkpoint, waiting for more than an hour in one room, taking two flights of stairs and going through another security checkpoint, Barack Obama’s supporters finally reached their destination.

That destination is the ballroom of Chicago’s McCormick Place. This is where a few thousand of the president’s supporters who campaigned for him all season convened to celebrate the night.

The people were packed like sardines on top of one another so they could say there were at this historic event. That was what helped get them through the agonizing wait of having to stand on their feet for as many as six hours.

This rally was not for the faint of heart or willed. Throughout the night, as many as three elderly Obama supporters required medical assistance and needed to be lifted out of the crowd.

Even though some people did not make it the whole night – it did not deter some of the president’s most ardent followers.

 “I can’t believe we’re finally here,” said one supporter to another. “It feels like it has taken forever to get to this point.”

There were large screens that projected CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS, and ABC so that the onlookers could keep up with the latest information.

 “What’s going on?” said one Obama supporter to another as she watched him start to flip through his phone. “Looks like we’re winning slightly in Ohio and it’s still too close to call in Florida.”

In the dimly lit, but surprisingly well air conditioned McCormick Place, the supporters of the president watched as the electoral votes started to come in. As the news anchors called swing states for the president, the crowd got more raucous. The room erupted into cheers when Wolf Blitzer called Iowa for President Obama.

 “This is it. I can feel it now,” said one supporter talking to herself out loud.

At approximately 10 p.m. central standard time, the election was called and the president won another four year term in the Oval Office.

All of a sudden the song “How You Like Me Now?” by The Heavy,  blared through the room’s speaker system and the crowd sang and danced wherever there was space.

Chants of “four more for 44,” and “O-ba-ma,” filled the crowd until it was impossible to hear anything else.

Romney did not concede for some time, which made the crowd increasingly more anxious and unsure about what was happening.

Suddenly, after seemingly hours of waiting, Governor Romney gave a short concession to the president.

Then the real waiting game began.

“Come on Mister President, it’s a school night!” yelled one supporter out loud as he continued to wait for the president to take the stage and give his victory speech.

After listening to Al Green tell the crowd he’s “so in love” with them for hours, the announcer came on. “Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States of America.”

Barack Obama, his wife Michelle and their two daughters took the stage.

Obama gave the second and last victory speech of his presidential career.

After hours of waiting — and for some people, traveling from all over the country — standing in cramped crowds in dark rooms with complete strangers would make you think they should reevaluate how they could have spent their night. But one thing united them: their support of the president.

 “It was worth every minute,” said one supporter on her way out of McCormick Place. A slow grin came on as she looked back, seeing the confetti fly, and took mental pictures of the moment she’ll remember for the rest of her life.