Throughout life, people and their experiences shape who they are and who they become. One’s talents, interests and commitments can be impacted by these experiences as I was following my experience during Hurricane Sandy. It is this experience, however, that will enable me to succeed at Rutgers.
On the night of October 29, 2012, my world as I knew it was flipped upside down. As the flood waters surrounded my home, I thought my entire house would float away. The sounds of the rising storm surge beneath the floorboards pierced my ears. My experience with Hurricane Sandy was an invasion on my sense of security. It changed my perspective and made me realize that one’s life can change in an instant; I had to deal with intense emotions and fears I had never dealt with before. That may seem to
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I realized that bad things can and do happen, although many people feel as though they are immune and they cannot happen to them. That night taught me the foremost importance of family and to react accordingly in the face of adversity. Life is going to throw unexpected challenges at you and how you respond can mean all the difference. My elderly friend and neighbor Marie was displaced from Sandy. I made sure to visit her and keep her company following the storm because she had nobody else. On a positive note, I learned that coming together as a community and family prepared me for dealing with many different venues in life, like school, work and family, where I have to think quick on my feet. In a strange way, I am glad that I had this unique experience because it was humbling, changing my view on life and put into perspective what really is important. It is because of this experience and what I have learned as a result, that will help me to succeed at Rutgers. Watching my family and community come together was
In Drea Knufken’s essay entitled “Help, We’re Drowning!: Please Pay Attention to Our Disaster,” the horrific Colorado flood is experienced and the reactions of worldly citizens are examined (510-512). The author’s tone for this formal essay seems to be quite reflective, shifting to a tone of frustration and even disappointment. Knufken has a reflective tone especially during the first few paragraphs of the essay. According to Drea Knufken, a freelance writer, ghostwriter and editor, “when many of my out-of-town friends, family and colleagues reacted to the flood with a torrent of indifference, I realized something. As a society, we’ve acquired an immunity to crisis. We scan through headlines without understanding how stories impact people,
Hurricane Katrina has affected the lives of thousands of Americans. According to Anne Waple of NOAA’s National Climate Data Center, Katrina is “one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent US history” leaving “At least 80% of New Orleans…under flood water”. Film director, Spike Lee, in his documentary, When the Levees Broke, looks into the lives of the people of New Orleans that was affected by Hurricane Katrina. Lee’s purpose is to address racial disparities, political issues, and the discrimination against helping victims during the storm. He adopts a straightforward tone from the victims and outsiders in order to illustrate how the residents of New Orleans were affected by failures of the government for the duration of Katrina, before and after. Despite the government programs and their slow attempt to help, the government did not act quickly in the events of Hurricane Katrina because many residents of New Orleans did not receive the great amount of aid they were promised.
“When I saw my house three weeks after the storm, I was glad it stood, but I knew it was time for change. Now, five years later, I have learned that for me to enjoy the beauty of this place, there is a cost to bear. I love this place and am here to stay, but I have to invest more than I had imagined. The hurricane has greatly affected our lives, but not only in a bad way.” Gene understands that the story does not end with just the damage, but also what it contributes to the future.
According to Hurricane Katrina At Issue Disasters, economic damages from Hurricane Katrina have been estimated at more than $200 billion… More than a million people were displaced by the storm… An estimated 120,000 homes were abandoned and will probably be destroyed in Louisiana alone (At * Issue). For this perspective, “Hurricane Katrina change the Gulf Coast landscape and face of its culture when it hit in 2005” (Rushton). A disaster like Katrina is something the victims are always going to remember, for the ones the lost everything including their love ones. Katrina became a nightmare for all the people that were surround in the contaminated waters in the city of New Orleans. People were waiting to be rescue for days,
middle of paper ... ... The. “Hurricane Andrew: The Human Side of Recovery.” Disaster Recovery Journal, System Support Inc. 1 Sept. 2001. Web.
Hurricane Katrina was one of the most devastating natural disasters to happen in the United States. The storm resulted in more then US$100 billion in damage when the cities flood protection broke and 80% of the city was flooded (1). The protection failure was not the only cause for the massive flooding, the hurricanes clockwise rotation pulled water from north of New Orleans into the city. 330,000 homes were destroyed and 400,000 people from New Orleans were displaced, along with 13,00 killed (1). Although the population quickly recovered, the rate of recovery slowed down as the years went on leading us to believe not everyone
Hurricane Harvey is one of the biggest life challenges that many people in Houston and southern Louisiana have ever experienced in their lifetime. Fortunately, this experience has brought the best out of people causing many of them to come forward to risk their lives in order to save people whose lives the flood has severely impacted. Similarly, Robert McCammon’s book titled Boy’s Life reflects upon many events that highlight a positive character that springs forth from a young child named Cory Mackenson. Cory Mackenson transitions from childhood by undergoing sinister and humiliating events that come together to shape him up into a confident individual.
Imagine, homes destroyed, a town with no electricity, and nothing but destruction left. This was the scene for many people after hurricane Sandy touched down and swept through their city. A local high school football team, the Beach Channel Dolphins were set to go to the playoffs . Their team was scattered, some arriving late to the game and their team only had two practices prior to the big game. If anyone had an excuse to not play, it was the Dolphins, but they weren't going to let a hurricane stop them from playing. Although they lost, they proved that no matter what someone faces, he/she can persevere(Source B). The Dolphins aren’t the only ones who have faced, or are going to face adversity. We all, at some point or another, will most
In conclusion, hurricane Sandy was unlike any other hurricane. Its large size, intensity and unusual path made it a force to be reckoned with. Although its rainfall measurements and wind speeds weren’t that high compared to some other hurricanes, the storm still managed to significantly disrupt the country’s infrastructure and the cost of rebuilding and repairing affected areas was billions. Understanding the causes, characteristics and impacts of such natural disasters is one way we learn to prepare for such events before and rebuild our communities
I realized how important it is to attend things other than your classes to increase your knowledge. I got into a discussion about the event with other people who attended. It was enlightening to talk about lecture with students other than my friends. Being apart of the question and answer session afterwards was also interesting. Hearing Margolick answer the questions students had was very educational because the questions allowed him to expand further on things he did not discuss in his lecture. This event inspired me to want to go to more social events because it made me learn so much more things that may not be discussed in my English class about the
Hurricanes are formed over tropical waters. These intense storms consist of winds over 74 miles per hour (Ahrens & Sampson, 2011). The storms addressed here are Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. This paper will explore the contrasts and comparisons between these two horrific storms.
These events have strengthened me mentally, spiritually, and educationally. Regardless of what occurs in life, at work or in school, I have the ability to overcome the obstacles and the strength of mind, a compassionate heart and the knowledge to succeed in any task I undertake.
Eleven years ago Hurricane Katrina hit us, hard. The levees failed to do what they were made for. It was both a natural and man made disaster that was destined to happen and too late to stop. The damage has been done; the lives lost. But this storm, awful as it was, did more than destroy. The hurricane brought people closer as we cleaned up cleaned up after it’s mess. There were people donating, volunteering. It all just goes back to show our identity as Americans. It shows that even when we get knocked down, we always resurface, united as one, and if that isn’t our identity; I don’t know what is.
This was the first major hurricane we’ve had in five years. The last time this happened was when my brother was only a year old. Watching the windows shatter and water flood our peaceful abode brought back traumatic memories for the both of us but especially Noah. That previous hurricane was the reason he developed PTSD, and our family hasn’t been the same ever since. He gets nightmares often, he can’t go swimming because water gives him anxiety, and he communicates through hand movements.
Picture this, you laying on top of you car as you are being violently slung down your street, which was once dry and calm and is now wet and foreign, at an extremely rapid pace. You can’t find your family and all you can do is hope that they haven’t drowned and are able to stay afloat against the violent waters that are angrily attempting to destroy everything in its path. You look around the weather is gray and it’s raining heavily. It is a struggle to breathe between the rapid rain and the violent waters which are attempting to pull you under, forever. Your house no longer exists it is broken down from the pounding waters and fast winds. That is exactly what it would be like if you were in the midst of a hurricane. After hurricanes are over the confusion is crazy, children who had loving families are now orphaned, people become homeless, and people miss certain joys such as walking due to becoming paralyzed.