story10822.xml
Title
story10822.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2004-09-10
911DA Story: Story
On the morning of September 11, I had class. Music theory. The 20 of us sat through the class, having no idea what had happened. Once the class was over, we went downstairs to the commons area as we always did. I'm a music major, and most of the music majors at my university hang around in an area known as the 4-point. So, like always, that's where I headed.
Once I got there, one of my friends, Ed looked at me and said, "Have you heard what happened?"
"No." I replied.
"A plane crashed in to the world trade center."
My first thought was that a small few person plane accidentlly crashed into the building. So I looked at him and said, "Well, that's weird. How didn't they see the building? Was it just like a small plane?"
My friend said, "Alison, it wasn't a small plane. And actually another one crashed into the second tower as well."
This may be the most naiive moment of my life, but I really looked at him and said, "Well, isn't that weird. How do you think two planes crashed into the buildings on the same day? They must have just been small planes, right?"
"No, they were two passanger jets. Someone hijacked them and crashed them into the world trade center."
I remember it was like something cold spread through me. I realize now, that it may not have been something spreading, but something leaving. I now think this was part of my faith in other people rushing out of me.
I went back to my dorm and starred at CNN. An hour later I had another class. I walked in, and everyone sat down and was eeriely quiet. The professor walked infront of the class and very quietly said, "I'm sorry. I can't teach class today. If you haven't heard about what happened, I can't be the one to tell you. I'm sorry. Go home." Just a few hours later the university closed for the day.
I went back to my dorm again, and sat and watched TV again. The door to my room was open and I remember a guy walked in and sat down next to me. I don't remember his name, but I do remember that he was in our ROTC program. He said hey, joined me on the couch and we just sat in silence that was only occasionally puncuated by "But, why?" and "I can't believe..."
I know I will never forget what I did that day and all of the strange emotions that were running through everyone.
Once I got there, one of my friends, Ed looked at me and said, "Have you heard what happened?"
"No." I replied.
"A plane crashed in to the world trade center."
My first thought was that a small few person plane accidentlly crashed into the building. So I looked at him and said, "Well, that's weird. How didn't they see the building? Was it just like a small plane?"
My friend said, "Alison, it wasn't a small plane. And actually another one crashed into the second tower as well."
This may be the most naiive moment of my life, but I really looked at him and said, "Well, isn't that weird. How do you think two planes crashed into the buildings on the same day? They must have just been small planes, right?"
"No, they were two passanger jets. Someone hijacked them and crashed them into the world trade center."
I remember it was like something cold spread through me. I realize now, that it may not have been something spreading, but something leaving. I now think this was part of my faith in other people rushing out of me.
I went back to my dorm and starred at CNN. An hour later I had another class. I walked in, and everyone sat down and was eeriely quiet. The professor walked infront of the class and very quietly said, "I'm sorry. I can't teach class today. If you haven't heard about what happened, I can't be the one to tell you. I'm sorry. Go home." Just a few hours later the university closed for the day.
I went back to my dorm again, and sat and watched TV again. The door to my room was open and I remember a guy walked in and sat down next to me. I don't remember his name, but I do remember that he was in our ROTC program. He said hey, joined me on the couch and we just sat in silence that was only occasionally puncuated by "But, why?" and "I can't believe..."
I know I will never forget what I did that day and all of the strange emotions that were running through everyone.
Collection
Citation
“story10822.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed December 20, 2025, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/7164.