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We Decided to Be Storm Troupers � To My Regret

Photo credit: Talia Buford Hurricane Isabel caused damage to the entire campus. On marine point, boats from the sailing team were damaged because of the high winds.

By Jameil E. Hamilton
Black College Wire

Hurricane Isabel came and went and I wish I could say I am no worse for the wear. But I can�t.

When I heard about the hurricane, I wasn�t worried. Even when I heard it was a category 4, on a scale of 5, with winds up to 110 mph, I still wasn�t worried. When I heard people making plans to leave immediately, I still wasn�t worried.

I began to worry only when I saw a map of Isabel�s path with only three cities. One was Norfolk. The next day, a meeting was held at our Hampton University dormitory to inform residents of evacuation procedures. People all around me began to solidify their own evacuation plans.

By early Wednesday, all of my friends were gone � except one. Keisha and I decided to be storm troupers. We weren�t afraid of the storm. And as many times as it had been downgraded, we thought it of very little consequence. And it was kind of cool. As a journalism major, I jumped at the opportunity to capture this event on film.

Not the best idea. Around 6:30 p.m., Keisha and I arrived at Holland Hall. We signed in, and were pointed in the direction of the mattresses. Much to my dismay, all of them were occupied. When I was told that all of them were already on the floor, I looked around and saw what looked like two mattresses put together. I grabbed the bottom one from one set as Keisha grabbed the bottom from another set. They both turned out to be box springs.

That�s right � box springs � wood and springs with a transparent piece of cloth stretched over it.

I plopped down determined to make the most of a bad situation � and almost broke my back. After a few hours of reading, listening a Beyonce� CD and watching other people play just about every game from Spades to Connect Four, to Trivial Pursuit, Life and Checkers, I was ready to go.

Unfortunately, we were not supposed to leave Holland.

Later that night, they showed "Coming to America" and "Drumline." After that, an announcement was made that it was 1 a.m. and men and women were to go to their respective sides, as a partition was going to be lowered. Keisha and I looked at each other in amazement. In a matter of seconds, I had been transported back to my freshman year.

By this time, I had managed to secure a mattress someone had left next to me, but Keisha wasn�t so lucky. Around 1:45 a.m., I said to Keisha, "I can�t take this. We need to leave." We were told by a dorm director that we couldn�t leave unless our parents came to sign us out, and the earliest we would be able to get out was 7 a.m.

Once again, I was baffled. But I rolled with the punches, got up at 6:45 a.m., signed myself out and went to the Holiday Inn.

While I only spent one night in Holland Hall, I was still able to see quite a few things. First, there should have been more mattresses. There were people sleeping on box springs and even on KinderMats � the ones used in preschools. Second, the showers were in a dismal state. The ones that had individual stalls had no doors. Most of the bathroom doors didn�t close. Third, I felt like I was being treated like a child.

However, I was surprised that Bennie McMorris, the dean of students, slept in Holland as well. Although some of the staff was rude when asked for assistance, most of the staff was helpful and courteous.

Jonathan Mangana, the director of student activities, was still able to crack jokes and provide games. He also helped to distribute mattresses and have movies shown. Carl Gray, a Student Leader, volunteered to stay in Holland to be of assistance. Even the acting President, Joann Haysbert, showed up at one point.

Despite what could have been a truly horrible experience with everyone sleeping on the floor, without movies or games, and an all-around discourteous staff, most people put forth their best effort on short notice. Had this been my freshman year, I would have had the time of my life. As a senior, I didn�t enjoy myself and would never want to do this again. But it could have been worse. If nothing else, this was an experience that I will forever remember as a part of my senior year.

Jameil E. Hamilton is a student at Hampton University who writes for The Hampton Script.

Posted Oct. 6, 2003