Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource September 11 Digital Archive Stories Description An account of the resource This collection is the bulk of the archive, representing the reactions and experiences of thousands of individuals beginning in 2002. 911DA Story 911DA Story: Story Tell us about what you did, saw, or heard on September 11th. Feel free to write as much or as little as you like. Tell us your story: Before I begin, I just want to say to everyone affected personally by the tragedies of 911, you're all in my thoughts and prayers every day of my life. My day started out like everyone else's. I had a Management class at 9:30 at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.I was a Junior, majoring in Fashion Merchandising. I was late for class and couldn't find a parking spot. I was mad because I had paid $225 for a parking sticker on campus and the nearest spot was a good mile away. I was listening to WKFR on the radio and the morning show reported the first tower being hit, just as I decided to park in the faculty parking because I was already way too late for class. I went inside, thinking the plane crash was an accident. Not thinking too much of it, I walked into class. Another student came running into class late and announced that it was not an accident, that a second plane had hit. By the time my class was done at 10:45, people were watching CNN in the lobby of the business college. I saw my friend Katie and she told me briefly how another plane had crashed into the Pentagon. I had class again at 11:00. It was marketing. I got to class early and spoke with my friend Kim. Neither one of us could believe what was going on. My prof. started class and there were about 250 students in my class that day. The Dean of the business college, Dean Schmotter interupted my class to tell everyone what was going on. He stated that we were under a terrorist attack and it was so far, the worst thing since Pearl Harbor. I'd never seen a business man in a suit cry before. I witnessed a lot of things I'd never seen before that day. Dean Schmotter told us that classes would be cancelled at noon that day and to pay attention to cancellations the following day. It took me 2 hours to get out of the parking lot that morninng around 11:30. Immediately I was on my cell phone trying to call my cousin Julie who was a flight attendant for United Airlines in Chicago and L.A. Then I tried to call my mom and dad and sister. The cell phones weren't working. From the time I got home at 1:45 until I had to work at 5:00 that day, my eyes were glued to the tv. I got to work a little bit early to find news of rocketing gas prices. I took my bosses car, my car and a few of my other coworkers cars over to the gas station and waited in long lines to fill up. The local news station interviewed me at the gas station that afternoon. I couldn't help but think, here I am, filling up my gas tank, being interviewed on tv, standing next to a flag being flown at half mast and meanwhile, people are searching for their lost relatives in NY, DC and PA. I remember crying hysterically, at work, with one of my coworkers. (I'm waitress and take-out server at Outback Steakhouse). We were unusually busy that night, but not because people were craving steak; because people were craving each other. We had all 3 tvs turned to CNN and local newscasts and there were crowds at the bar watching and waiting. I remember people at work, laughing and cracking jokes like normal and it made me sick. I couldn't believe I had to answer the phones "G'day, Outback Steakhouse, this is Sarah, your take-away server. How may I help you?" I wanted to answer the phones and ask people why they wanted a Sirloin and baked potato at a time like this. I had brought a radio to work with me and I played it in the kitchen so we could hear the updates. I went home that night, to my apartment, and cried with my roommates. The next day was awful. I still was suffering, mourning for the people who died, mourning for the survivors. And life went on. I wanted time to stop, so that we could all remember this day for awhile, so that it seemed more real. Maybe it seemed real to me because it hit close to home. I eventually got ahold of my cousin (the flight attendant). She was depressed for months and eventually lost her job. But I can't figure out all the people who wanted to get on with everything. People are sick of the media coverage that September 11 gets, to this day. But not me. I could watch it for hours and hours. It's comforting, yet eerie to put faces to the names of those killed that day. It's inspiring to hear about Batallion 1 Ladder 7 who lost one firefighter that day. Whether or not some people want to admit it, our lives changed forever that day. All of ours. Not ours as citizens of NY, or citizens of PA or Idaho, or Texas or Michigan,but ours as a nation. We all bonded as one race in the United States that day...the human race, and for one day there were no rapes, thefts, or crimes to speak of...just solidarity and patriotism and acts of bravery and gentle kindness. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource story5934.xml 911DA Item Elements describing a September 11 Digital Archive item. Status The process status of this item. approved Consent Whether September 11 Digital Archive has permission to possess this item. full Posting Whether the contributor gave permission to post this item. yes Copyright Whether the contributor holds copyright to this item. yes Source The source of this item. born-digital Media Type The media type of this item. story Created by Author Whether the author created this item. yes Described by Author Whether the description of this item was submitted by the author. no Date Entered The date this item was entered into the archive. 2002-09-12 IP Address The IP address of the device used to submit the item. 64.12.96.8