Where were you?

It was one of those moments in history. One of those moments that people everywhere - across this nation and this world - remember where they were when they heard. September 11, 2001 changed us, changed me. As I was reflecting on that terrible day that happened just 5 years ago, I have a crisp memory of my day - well most of it. I remember waking up that morning in my apartment on Northview Drive. I was running late as usual - I had O-Chem lab in Davidson Hall at 9:00 AM. I remember watching a bit of the Today show before I hurried my way to my white neon (which had yet to be nicknamed "Love Wheels") and scurried off on the 2 mile drive to Virginia Tech. I remember parking and noticing that I had 7 minutes to get to class - yes, it was 8:53 AM when I got out of my car and I didn't have a clue about what had happened already. I would be in basement of Davidson Hall for 3 hours without any knowledge of the horrors that had happened to our country. I clearly remember when I first heard anything about what had happened. My friend Jessica and I were walking across the drillfield on a bright and sunny day. We were off to meet some friends at the Hokie Grill for lunch as we did every Tuesday. Almost exactly halfway across the drillfield, another friend, Tiffany stopped us and asked if we had heard about the bombing of the World Trade Center. She didn't have much information and we still had no idea of the gravity of the day. It wasn't until we made it inside the dining center when we saw the smoke and devastation on the big screen television that I realized what had happened. I had class pretty soon so I walked across campus to McBryde 123 for Econ. I quickly found that classes had been cancelled. I made my way to my office in the ISE department, right across the parking lot. The staff had found a television and was glued to the coverage. I remember sitting in the conference room and watching Tom Brokaw try to explain what had happened. I didn't stay long. I needed to be alone to process everything that was happening. I made it back to my apartment on Northview Drive just after 1pm. After that, I don't really remember the rest of my day. It was just me and the NBC news team for I don't know how long. I know at some point I was finally able to get in touch with my family to make sure my cousins weren't in Manhattan that morning (they weren't).

The point is that I would wager that my experience is typical of many others'. You can remember the point up to which you learned about the tragedy. But what about after that point? Yes, I remember the images and some things on the news broadcasts, but I can't tell you how long I watched or if I did anything that day.

I said that I know that 9/11 changed me. Yet, the one question that I find most difficult to answer is "How did 9/11 change me?" I'm not sure that I will ever be able to articulate an answer to that question. I know that it did - but I can't put into words what that change is. When I think about it, I'm pretty sure that any changes started in those blurred hours that I can't remember. As I learned about the mass destruction, the incredible bravery displayed by so many, and the hate that caused the tragedy - I was changed. My perception of the world changed. I was 19 years old and realized my life would never be the same.

For 9/11/06 - 5 years from now, I hope that my memory of that morning is as vivid as it is today.