Imagining the worst, hoping for the best.
1. Is my dorm going to flood?
mprnews.org
For me and most other students, hours of unpacking, decorating, and rearranging took place to get my dorm just right. It would be devastating to have anything happen to it.
That is my home.
Coming back from a hurricane to see some of your things ruined would be very upsetting. Many people on the first floor of my residence hall packed up their entire dorm and put everything on their lofted bed as a precaution.
2. Where will I go if we have to evacuate?
theguidancegirl.com
This question causes enormous amounts of stress for all students, especially those out of state. Whenever evacuation is necessary, the school provides transportation to a safe place but most students like to make their own safety plan.
For me, my plan was an 11-hour train ride home. The hurricane kept changing course and I had to consider all my options of where I could go. This took about 2 to 3 stress filled days but at the end, I got to go home.
3. Will my campus be damaged?
oneclass.com
The College is such a beautiful campus and it would be a shame to see any of it damaged. With heavy amounts of rain and strong gusts of wind, it's tough to think about the consequences the weather can cause. Luckily, campus has no damage from Florence and it will hopefully remain like this for the rest of hurricane season.
4. What if we lose power?
absfreepic.com
I think I could go 1 to 2 days without power but imagining going longer then that is difficult. Thinking about all the things you would have to give up if you lost power (showers, your cell phone, TV) is hard to think about. Of course, if the power did go out, we wouldn't have a choice whether to endure these sacrifices or not. Losing power brings boredom but also ruins the normalcy of the situation.
The College is one of several southern schools that is often threatened with a hurricane in this season. Precautions are always taken to ensure the safety of the students and staff but stress and anxiety still occur through the minds of others. Hurricane Florence did not hit Charleston very hard, thankfully.
As the weeks continue, we will see what the rest of the hurricane season holds for Chucktown.