It's a pirate's life for me.
Hurricane Matthew: everybody's been talking about it, and rightfully so.
It's a category 3 hurricane and threatens a great chunk of the eastern coast with crazy winds and crazy rains. It's even predicted to send some rain over my way, at East Carolina University.
Luckily for us, Matthew is happening the same time as fall break, so a lot of students are going home. Some of us, though, are going to stay in Greenville and tough it out, like true pirates.
And those true pirates have a lot of weird things to say about the storm.
5 things I overheard last weekend about Hurricane Matthew:
1. "A hurricane? Yes! That means classes are canceled."
Not going to lie...this was one of my first reactions, too. Practically everyone was excited at the prospect of having an extra day tacked onto fall break.
Sadly, though, classes weren't canceled, and I still had to roll out of bed, pull on my rainboots and begrudgingly make my way across campus to Spanish class. No me gusta, prefiero quedarse en casa y dormir.
2. "Do you think people are going to get drunk and go out on the water again?"
If you're not too familiar with ECU, you may not know this one. There is an ongoing story around campus that a few years back, a big storm hit, and instead of staying inside like logical human beings, a group of college students all dressed up as pirates, got drunk, and rode the waters in an inflatable raft. Whether this is true or not, I'm not sure, but it's a staple in our ECU lore, and I'm not shocked that somebody brought it up.
3. "If I park there, do you think I'll get towed?"
Ah, parking passes, the simultaneous savior and foe of all ECU students. It can be so beneficial or such a nuisance, depending on how much money you're willing to spend.
That being said, parking is a big deal when there is the potential for flash flooding. You definitely want your car to be on higher ground, and for a lot of people, that higher ground is likely somewhere they're not typically allowed to park, but hey...it's fall break, and a lot of spaces have opened up. What's worse? A potential ticket or a potentially flooded car?
4. "Will Campus Calzone's still deliver?"
Hey, Campus Calzone's is on the top of my priorities list for Hurricane Matthew, too. Forget stocking up on bottled water and canned foods in case of a power outage...be sure you order a calzone and some bread sticks, and you're all set.
This one really cracked me up, honestly.
5. "I bet the gym is going to be so empty." "You'll get your workout by swimming there."
I heard this one on Thursday, so not technically the weekend, but it's what gave me the idea to write this. I was in the dining hall, and the girl in line at the salad bar in front of me was telling her friend all about how she's leaving before the rain from the hurricane hits. The exchange listed above followed shortly afterward, and it made me giggle enough to remember it.
All joking aside, though, I hope that everybody is safe after Hurricane Matthew. Be sure to keep all those affected by this storm in your thoughts.