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#1746 | Sunday, September 8th 2002
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First Period- Spanish played it self out in a completely normal way. It was the last class I would ever take in a pre- 9/11 world.
Second period- English class goes as normal. There is no announcement made as the first tower is hit. However, just after the bell rings and I gather my things to leave class a student a year older than I rushes in and yells to the teacher, "Ms. Watkins, somebody just flew a plane into the World Trade Center." I proceed to World History believing the incident to be only a small private plane that accidently hit the buiding. I thought any casualties would be minor.
Third Period- I arrived to a classroom full of confused students. Stories had spread rapidly and were in many cases utterly false. It was said that armed helicopters had been attacking the Capital, that the National Mall was on fire, and even that enemy submarines had been firing missiles at New York City. Our teacher did little to comfort us. We were not allowed to talk about the incident or watch the television news. Instead, she lectured us on the Byzantine Empire.
Fourth Period- Our algebra teacher was in shambles. She did not say a word the entire period. She just sobbed at her desk as CNN brought me footage of the tragedy for the first time. At this point, no one was sure what was going on or who was responsible. Still not able to fully grasp the situation, my peers and I concocted adolescent revenge fantasies of assassinating Saddam Hussein or attacking Palestine. Though ridiculous and often brutal, I think these plots helped us to feel less helpless in a situation where we were unable to do anything.
Fifth Period- We are given a chemistry worksheet to complete but the TV is left on. Nobody does the worksheet. With such historic, horrific events unfolding in front of you, it is difficult to give a damn about oxidation numbers and balanced equations.
Lunch- The only topic of discussion is what is happening in New York and DC. We are still unsure as to what is going on. More revenge fantasies are debated.
Sixth Period- In Directed Study, a slacker class that resembles a loud and obnoxious form of study hall, we watch the news all period. Some do homework, I do not. I may have had some that day, but I do not recall doing it. By this point bin Laden's name had been mentioned by the media, and thus several raunchy cartoons featuring him were drawn by several students.
After School- My academic team practice had been cancelled. I went home and watched the news for hours. My mom decided at about 5:00 that we should go to the grocery store and wanted me to drive as a way of preparing for my upcoming driver's license test. I tried to rush the trip along so I could get home to the TV faster. The store was practically empty except for a few people stocking up and canned foods and bottled water. I suppose uncertainty is a great motivator for such things. After returning home I watched ABC news until midnight. If you ever see this, thank you Peter Jennings. You were phenomenal that night. I remember seeing you choke up on the air, and it helped to know that even a man so respected as yourself could cry unashamedly in front of millions. I cried along with you.
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Travis | 16 | Georgia
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#1730 | Saturday, September 7th 2002
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On September 11th, I was at school in my first period class...I remember my History teacher comming in the classroom telling my science teacher what had happened. When my history teacher left my teacher turned on the tv...from then on in every class of the day we watched tv...since i go to a private school, at 12 one of my teachers came over the intercom and the whole school prayed...it was really sad...alot of kids were calling their parents, one of my friends uncles worked in the world trade center...she was crying...she used my cell phone to call her dad and he told her that he had heard from her uncle and that he was ok...one of my old coaches worked in the pentagon...a couple weeks after everything happened he came to tell the school his story...he was only a few halls away from where the plane hit the pentagon...he told us about how he was pulling people out of the mess and how he was so greatful to be alive...fortunately i didnt have any relatives or friends hurt or killed in the september 11th attacs...i feel very sorry for anyone who did and i want them to know that there is always someone praying you through...God has a reason for everything he does and he is always there...well...sorry to everyone and thanks to everyone who helped (firefighters, police officers, volunteers) they are our REAL heros...
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katie | 14 | Georgia
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#1642 | Monday, September 2nd 2002
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I was in my Two Dimensional Design class, the same place I was every Tuesday and Thursday morning, working on whatever the assignment was for the time. I remember Elizabeth coming in from the food court saying that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center...I don't think I even knew what the WTC was and I remember visioning a small, two-seater airplane hitting some tall building.
Reality began to set in when I walked into the food court and saw people gathered around the televisions. I joined them in watching and the horror began to sink in as I started to realize the size of what was happening. I remember seeing the second plane hit and I remember the compassion and unity of the people there and I remember calling my mom and talking to her about it and I remember that not many people from my class returned, including the teacher.
I also remember going to prayer that night after I got off work and hearing the different thoughts that were running through all of our minds. I remember thinking then and believing now that our God is a sovereign one and that He “…works for the good of those who love Him…”(Romans 8:28) even when we don’t understand and even when something that appears and is horrible happens.
I hope I remember this for a long time.
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Chet | 21 | Georgia
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#1584 | Thursday, August 22nd 2002
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I was in Atlanta GA. I was in my math class when on the PA system the principal came on and said that she was sure we had all heard about what had happened and because of that we would not be able to eat lunch out side. well i didn't know what had happened. i heard rumors that someone had set the washington monument on fire and all sorts of things. but it wasn't until i got home and turned on the tv that i really saw what had happened.
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Ricky | 14 | Georgia
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#1579 | Tuesday, August 20th 2002
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My co-worker and I were chatting about the morning gossip when our neighbors wife across the hall came in the door and said "someone has bombed the WTC!" I looked at my co-worker, he kinda laughed. "They gotta be joking, Jim's just trying to get you back for that candybar joke," he said. I shrug it off and went back to my newest gossip. The neighbor came running back in the room and started screaming "the other tower has been bombed!" We go running into their office and started watching the fuzzy screen (no cable). At the bottom it explained that two planes had crashed into the WTC, not a bombing. Then we saw the footage of the second plane hitting. I just looked at everyone in the room. They all stood, dumbfounded at this.
My co-worker and I walked back to our office in silence. Then it finally hit me this was no accident as I spoke it aloud. My co-worker just nodded. For the rest of the day we listened to the radio for clues. I wanted to go home, no one knew what was going to happen next. There were reports everywhere of another plane headed at the white house. The pentagon had already been hit.
I called my mother and asked her to go home and not go back to work. I told her not to turn the tv on. She easily upsets, and she didn't listen.
I still get chills and tears come to my eyes everytime I see that plane crash into the tower. I hate watching it, though I feel I need to, to forever remember. I dread the day my children ask me about it. I dread the day I see it in their history books.
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Kat | 19 | Georgia
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