“I’m excited, obviously,” zoology freshman Paul Gibson said. “But, I’m kind of scared that they’re going to freak out and try and attack us back.”

Others were surprised, including advertising sophomore Kelsey Burgess. Burgess was at first was skeptical about the accuracy of the reports, but thought the news potentially could lead to impromptu parties by MSU students.

“I questioned if it was real,” she said. “I definitely think there’s going to be celebrations, but I don’t know if they would get out of control.”

Journalism and Spanish sophomore Julie Mianwecki, who currently is completing a journalism internship in Washington, D.C. through the Tribune Company, said the atmosphere around the White House was “crazy.”

Mianwecki compared it to her time in Spain following last summer’s World Cup, and said the crowd was comprised of a large number of young people, most of whom were singing the national anthem and celebrating.

Mianwecki said she had seen no major incidents, but added the gathering was well into the hundreds.

“I wasn’t sure if I believed (the news) at first,” she said. “But, then we were like ‘we should at least get into a cab and go into the White House.”

The U.S. military has been pursuing bin Laden for nearly a decade, and the Saudi billionaire’s capture was made the prime focus of Obama’s war on terror.

“I figure it’s about time (we caught him),” said Aaron Greenberg, a pre-medical sophomore.

Greenberg said he felt safe on MSU’s campus considering the current situation, and thought reaction from students wouldn’t be large.

“I don’t think it’s going to be that big,” he said. “I feel like people don’t view him as threatening anymore.”

Carolina Segura, a zoology freshman, thought the murder of the infamous leader was a big step in the country’s war on terror.

“America’s been trying so hard,” she said, “I think (the mission’s success) is a major accomplishment.”