In case you’ve been dwelling under a rock for the past few days, Hurricane Ike, a serious Category 4 storm, is spinning just a few hundred miles away from our sunny shores. It looks like it’s preparing to crush Cuba, but what does that mean for Miami?
If you can recall three years ago (seniors, time to feel old), the trifecta of Katrina, Wilma, and Rita hit our campus with tremendous force. After the fact, the arboretum was trashed, debris littered our walkways and gas stations were backed up for hours. Whether you believe the forecast or just hope for some free days off of school, proper precautions should be taken when a hurricane is looming. Â
During the aforementioned storms, the university took special precautions. Chartwells provided boxed meals and the dorms remained under lockdown. Whether you’re pissed off because you can’t leave your dorm room for that much-needed cigarette, or you just want to experience the storm first-hand, think about safety. Is it really worth it to get blown away?Â
Currently, Ike is not supposed to hit South Florida directly, but we will surely get a heavy breeze or two. Go to Publix and stock up on the essentials. Bottled water, Ramen Noodles, extra towels for that leak in the ceiling, and gasoline should be the least of what you get. You might be spending a few days indoors, so buy a board game: Monopoly and Risk usually kill a few hours. Â
Plan for the worst, hope for the best; that should be your mantra. Plan for leaky ceilings, broken windows and class cancellations and hope for… well, class cancellations. The university and the people who run it have been through this before, so don’t panic. Buckle in for whatever may come. Wherever you end up tomorrow night and whatever you end up doing, just be safe and smart. We’ll see you Thursday… hopefully.