With Hurricane Idalia crawling closer to Tallahassee and various other portions of north Florida, state schools are taking the necessary precautions to ensure all students are safe and at home during the storm’s expected arrival date.
On Tuesday, August 29, FAMUINFO released a statement calling for the closure of Florida A&M’s (FAMU) campus from Tuesday to Friday, Sept. 1. The allotted time off from campus, especially in the first week of school, has opened up time for students to prepare for the storm and what comes after the school year. Various students have marked this time off as the perfect time to prepare.
Sean Presley, a third-year Computer Information Systems scholar, says he’ll use the campus closure time to “prepare for the storm, but also prepare for school further in the year.” Sean’s thoughts are the reality for most students as it allows them to have time to secure the needed materials to weather the storm, but also have the time to further prepare for the school year. With the rush of moving in and welcome week events, students don’t often have the time to really sit down and prepare themselves for the semester ahead.
Whilst some students feel happy with the time the break has given them off from school so early into the year, other students feel the opposite on the subject.
Alexandra Holliday, a third-year agriculture scholar, doesn’t agree with the decision to cancel school. “I don’t like that class was canceled early this school year because I had built up excitement toward meeting new people,” Holliday said. “However, I am happy FAMU is taking the necessary precautions for its students, faculty and staff.”
As the excitement for the first week on the hill has halted, there are other students who feel similarly to Alex, as the classes, events and campus help start the basis of social connections for the fall semester. However, the closures are necessary to ensure the safety of all FAMU students. With a strong storm surge expected from the hurricane, as well as the hurricane growing in strength by the hour, the closure ensures students and faculty are home and safe from harm that can be caused by the storm.
This time away from school, even early into the semester, allows students to mentally prepare even more for what the fall semester can bring. First-year students also have more time to accommodate and adjust to the college lifestyle, all while preparing for the potential impact of Hurricane Idalia. While the hurricane’s impact on the state itself is yet to be determined, its effect on students can be felt and will be shown by what takes place on these closure days.