Colin Powell is revealing his more personal side in lectures across the country by discussing his support of President Barack Obama and joking about buying thousands of BlackBerries for the State Department.

Powell, former national security adviser under the Reagan administration, four star general, and secretary of state to former President George W. Bush, spoke to Stanford students in a packed Stanford Memorial Auditorium on Monday about his career path, foreign policy, his vote for Obama, and going with his son to buy his first car. Powell’s talk was filled with jokes and anecdotes, causing the attendants to frequently laugh out loud.

Powell also discussed his departure from the State Department.

“That depression did come over me; I felt empty, I felt alone,” Powell said. “So I gave it a great deal of thought, and I bought a Corvette.”

The former secretary of state also joked about almost dropping out of college.

“I got out with a 2-point average,” Powell said, “and they [the City College of New York] told me to never come back. Now however, I’m considered one of the greatest sons CCNY [City College of New York] has ever had.”

Powell did talk about more serious issues such as the election of Obama. After Powell heard the news of Obama’s win, Powell took a moment to sit down and cry, whispering to himself, “We did it.”

Former Secretary of State George Shultz, who introduced Powell, wished not to dwell on Powell’s achievements, but Powell’s outstanding personality and characteristics as a human being.