I barely have any recollection of Hurricane Floyd in 1999, but I know my family and I evacuated to some friends outside Atlanta, Georgia. From what I’ve heard, it was a good thing we left, but overall the damage thankfully wasn’t too bad. Hurricane seasons had been pretty quiet in Florida since then, until now. Here we are seventeen years later with Hurricane Matthew all over the news and quite a bit has changed since then.

Perhaps the biggest change is obvious-- that I’m no longer in the state of Florida. It was a really weird feeling watching the storm pass over my community without me being there. I know those who evacuated feel similar. It’s a little unsettling knowing something huge is happening and there’s nothing I can do about it. Granted, no single person can put up much of a fight against a hurricane, but there’s also the aftermath. I won’t be present to support and help rebuild my community.

Another significant difference between now and seventeen years ago is the change in technology. During Floyd, very few people had cell phones and most of the information came from our emergency weather radio. I’m not really sure how my parents let my family know we were safe. Other than newspaper photographs and short news clips, it was difficult to judge the level of damage until seeing it for ourselves.

Now in 2016, I was more than 1000 miles away from home and the storm, but cell phones and social media kept me up to date. I was able to text my mom for updates and Facebook even made sure to tell me when my friends reported themselves as “safe.” Of course, not all of the updates described ideal circumstances, but I was informed nonetheless. I’m more than thankful for all the updates and information because they’re next best thing when I can’t be physically present in my community.

By the time this article is published, the worst of the hurricane will be over. I’ll anticipate hearing how everyone’s homes weathered the storm and try to help in any way I can. Amelia Island is definitely on my mind and I hope to go back soon!