story8379.xml

story8379.xml

born-digital

story

yes

no

2002-10-06

My name is Julia and I remember September 11, 2001. I was getting ready for my college classes after working out that morning. My boyfriend Joe and I were listening to the news while fixing our lunches and preparing for the day ahead. Suddenly Matt Lauer on the Today Show said "A plane has just crashed into the World Trade Center." Commercials came on and then a media clip showed the plane crashing into the first tower. I yelled for Joe to come and see this and we watched horrified as the crash was being replayed. Then a few minutes later we saw another plane hit the World Trade Center's second tower. Joe said, "That's not an accident, that is terrorism." I was speechless and felt smothered. I grabbed Joe and hugged him so tight as we learned that it was indeed terrorism on American soil. We reluctantly went to our classes and couldn't even think straight. I went to my part-time job at the Provost's office and was allowed to listen to the news while working. President Grube, of Georgia Southern University, cancelled the rest of the day's classes and let us go home early. I immediately went to Joe's and laid there in his arms as we watched the media clips replay not only the two planes hitting the WTC, but also the Pentagon and the Pittsburg incidents. I felt so empty, so sad, and so bewildered that this happened. Luckily my parents and my boyfriend's family were nowhere near the places that were hit. But we had all been scared and confused. America had been terrorized. We've all grown closer as the year has passed. I have become even more dedicated to my fight for justice and graduated from college with a degree in Justice Studies. My life has been affected by this, as have the lives of all Americans, but my life will be dedicated to making a positive difference in this world. I know now that I was put here on this earth, in America, in order to spread love and peace and make sure that justice prevails.