story8199.xml

story8199.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-09-30

In my first block class, the chorus teacher was correcting students on the song we had been singing when a student, who had left the room, returned to announce the beginnings of a horrific day. As the news was whispered across the room, no one could believe what they were hearing. The class believed that a bomb had been dropped on the United States, but that was the extent of our knowledge until Mr. Brown, the teacher, turned on the television, and to our terror, we learned the country was under attack. There was no bomb. Instead a jetliner had crashed into a trademark- one of the World Trade Centers. As the class gawked at the anchorman in disbelief, a second plane struck the remaining tower. The coverage continued, but our viewing did not to the dismay of many students and myself when Mr. Brown announced there were songs that needed practicing before the upcoming concert. As the class went on, no one in the class was in the mood for singing.
After first block was dismissed, the halls were loud and bustling with the sounds of panic-stricken students yearning to go home. I, myself, went my usual way to my English class still wondering what was going on. Even when I learned of the Pentagon being hit and yet another plane crashing in Pennsylvania, I didn?t know what to think. Was it all a sick joke? I?d learn that the deaths of thousands of innocent citizens were anything but a joke.
While I tried paying attention in English, it was quite difficult because of the students demanding the news be turned on, but until the end of class we would remain unknowing of the last two planes crashing. When I arrived in my third block class, social studies, the television was on and the volume was blaring. That whole eighty-four minutes of class was spent discussing the attacks and why people could ever do such a thing, even though these kinds of attacks were recognized daily in other countries around the world. For once, every single member of the class paid attention to the instructor with interest.
Because no other major events occurred for a while, my Spanish teacher went ahead and handed out the test that was already scheduled, despite many protests because of the current state of shock felt by many, including myself. Towards the remaining minutes of class, she allowed us to view Mayor Guiliani during a news conference. When school was dismissed, I was much relieved so that I could go home and watch all the TV I wanted.
That night, I was a bit scared to go to sleep for fear that other attacks had been planned. After a couple of months I realized President Bush had everything under control and the country wasn?t in danger for the time being, which relieved most of my fear.
Because of that tragic September 11th, 2001, I have become much more interested and concerned in current events occurring throughout the world, all the while preparing myself, should anything else of the sort happen. While I still feel pity for those who suffered, I try my best to live my own life to the fullest each and every day.