9/11: My Story
September 11, 2001 is a date that most people will never forget. 9/11 is a date that no New Yorker will EVER forget.
September 11, 2001 I was a sophomore at Binghamton University in upstate New York. The day started normal. I woke up early and my roommate Megan was still passed out from the night before. I staggered off to my 8am Math discussion (I know, nerd.) and the class went as usual. While walking back to my dorm that morning I realized that way more people were walking around campus than usual. It was odd but so are many things in college. I then walked past the dining hall and noticed kids sitting in front of TVs in the dining area. Again, weird. But I figured maybe the school got with it and installed some TVs in the dining room! Sweet! A few minutes later I entered my dorm and took the elevator up to my 3rd floor room. Then the reality that something was wrong hit. I heard my tv on. Megan was awake?? WAIT, why are all of these people awake? It’s NEVER like this in my dorm.
I opened the door and Megan was sitting on her bed hugging a pillow, tears streaming down her face…staring at our little 13 inch TV. She jumped up, ran to me and gave me a sobbing hug saying “Jessy, Jessy I can’t believe it. I can’t believe it.” I still had no idea what was going on…
Then I looked at the TV and saw. The first tower was just hit and no one knew what was going on. We sat on our beds with our door open and watched the news. Kids were walking up and down the halls. Some were screaming. Some were silent. Most were on the phone. But the real problem for us was that NO ONE could get a hold of anyone. The phones were so active that no calls were going through. For me, it was scary. But for some of my dorm-mates, it was the worst nightmare imaginable. Many of the students at Binghamton University are from NYC and Long Island. That means that their siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents, friends etc. mostly work in New York City. A handful of which, worked in the World Trade Center.
My old friend Michelle is from Long Island. And she came bursting into our room absolutely hysterical. Her sister works in the building that was just hit and the stupid phones wouldn’t put her in touch with anyone outside of our campus. Luckily about an hour later she got through. Her sister forgot her watch at home and had decided to go home to get it before going to work. She couldn’t get into the city after that. She went home safely.
The amount of stories I’ve heard like that are amazing.
But. There are other stories.
Like Corrine. Our entire floor sat in the hallway comforting each other as the calls were finally going through. Corrine went into her room and shut the door. Corrine wouldn’t come out for hours. Finally we found out that her firefighter father was killed trying to save people. She left school and never came back.
As you all know, life went on. The world did not end. But for some people, it sure felt like their world crashed on them. It was a day that I will never forget.
~In loving memory of those who gave their lives in 9/11 and the families that it effected.~
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My name is Jessica and I'm a proverb31girl. These are my thoughts on living a proverb31 girl life. I invite you to join me on this journey!Subscribe
http://darkchocolateisbest.blogspot.com/2009/09…
we will remember.
Just here listening. As a fellow New Yorker.
Well thanks for listening to my story!
I was skipping college that day. My parents were away and I had my house to myself. I had woke up to get to school early before I had decided not to go. I was playing video games, then decided to get something for breakfast. I came back into my room, out my bowl of cereal on my nightstand, and turned on the TV. I couldnt believe it. I watched all morning, until about an hour after the second tower fell. Through the whole time I was trying to call my parents. They were campin in Virginia and were supposed to be in DC that day. I finally got them on the phone. I'd never been so relieved. That bowl of cereal stayed on my nightstand all day and most of the next, untouched.
Isn't it amazing the smallest of details we remember?
Your story touched me as well. It's funny. I was going to write “I'm pretty sure it was a Tuesday” but didn't. It is amazing how we remember stuff like that.
Jess, It is crazy that stories about this day, even though we lived through them together can still bring me to tears. That day is burned into our memories forever, and we will never forget…
Honoured to hear your story.
http://darkchocolateisbest.blogspot.com/2009/09…
we will remember.
Just here listening. As a fellow New Yorker.
Well thanks for listening to my story!
I was skipping college that day. My parents were away and I had my house to myself. I had woke up to get to school early before I had decided not to go. I was playing video games, then decided to get something for breakfast. I came back into my room, out my bowl of cereal on my nightstand, and turned on the TV. I couldnt believe it. I watched all morning, until about an hour after the second tower fell. Through the whole time I was trying to call my parents. They were campin in Virginia and were supposed to be in DC that day. I finally got them on the phone. I'd never been so relieved. That bowl of cereal stayed on my nightstand all day and most of the next, untouched.
Isn't it amazing the smallest of details we remember?
Your story touched me as well. It's funny. I was going to write “I'm pretty sure it was a Tuesday” but didn't. It is amazing how we remember stuff like that.
Jess, It is crazy that stories about this day, even though we lived through them together can still bring me to tears. That day is burned into our memories forever, and we will never forget…
Honoured to hear your story.