This post was written by Crystel Sylvester, Sera Royal and James Levinson.

While you were dragging yourself out of bed for your 8 a.m. discussion, Student Association candidates and their supporters covered campus with posters for their campaigns.

Thomas Falcigno, who’s running unopposed for executive vice president, and Tony Hart, one of the three SA president candidates, were not present. Last year, candidates were allowed to poster at 7 a.m., but the Joint Elections Committee delayed the official start by an hour this year.

For the hopefuls who did poster, here’s a recap of their morning:

7:30 a.m.

The first candidates begin to arrive at Kogan Plaza half an hour before the start of the event, braving the early morning wind and chill with posters and tape in hand.

“The adrenaline is rushing,” said Christina Giordano, who’s running for SA President. She spent a little more than $72 on her posters for the campaign.

President and EVP candidates are permitted to hang 50 posters in five on-campus locations, according to the new JEC charter, which Sen. Sean Kumnick, U-at-Large, sponsored last month.

7:45 a.m.

Fifteen minutes before start-time, Kogan Plaza bustled with the majority of the candidates and their supporters discussing strategies on where to hang the posters.

Erika Feinman, a candidate for SA President, said she had four teams at each of the four Foggy Bottom locations where candidates are allowed to poster.

“Friends and supporters and members of the community who want to help out a fellow candidate are here,” she said.

8:00 a.m.

A few minutes before 8:00 a.m., the candidates and their teams began to gather at the gates in Kogan Plaza, preparing to sprint to the best locations to hang their posters.

JEC Chair Natalie Cleveland stood up on a bench to give the candidates and their teams the rules of the day.

“Important rules to remember: do not block other people’s signs, do not block existing signs, no posters go up on racks, awnings, bike racks, rails, etc,” Cleveland said. “Sides of buildings only.”

A few minutes later Cleveland was back up on the bench to mark the start of the event.

“Count down with me,” she said. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”

And the group of about 50 candidates and their supporters were off running, screaming and cheering.

8:15 a.m.

The candidates and their teams finished canvassing the J Street entrance to Marvin Center with their posters, hoping they have found prime real estate that will get students attention.

Candidates are allowed to place their posters on the exteriors of the Marvin Center on H Street, the academic center buildings and any building facing University Yard, as well as the exterior of Ames Hall on the Mount Vernon Campus.

Cleveland said no candidates received violations during postering.

“In terms of things being very respectable and keeping it clean, we haven’t had any problems with candidates this postering day and we’re excited to kick off the start of the campaign period,” she said.