In October, our state suffered one of the worst storms that it had seen in a century. After Sandy had hit, it looked like it would be a while until we recovered. I remember seeing houses gone, debris everywhere, and people looking so lost, as they had no idea what to do next.
However, out of this natural disaster, I saw something that I had felt disappeared for a long time: our community spirit. After winter break, I couldn’t help but notice that my fellow students were more empathetic and aware toward one another.
Along with other communities banding resources together to rebuild, Monmouth stepped up to help. As soon as school was back in session, our student body came together to do what they could to aid the community that we all have become apart of. Greek life held multiple fundraisers, we held different types of food and clothing drives, and at every one I saw my fellow students, along with myself, giving what they could.
“I think that people are helping out each other more, and a lot of people are giving. People have been giving money to help those in need, which I think is great,” said Alex Lustig, sophomore. “I really feel that the community is stronger and that has carried through the semester.”
Even though it was a horrible tragedy, I feel that a positive change came out of this. Along with a strengthened bond among our student body, there was a change of heart among our students. I see people being a bit friendlier, including myself, and the petty ideas that used to bother us are now moot points.
We have seen what is truly important after dealing with situations out of our control where we had to rely and focus on each other in order to pull through.
One aspect I saw that really showed a shift in our school was the faculty. From the moment I stepped into my first class after we returned, every teacher was asking how we were all handling the situation. Each one of my professors offered extra office hours, textbooks, and modified their syllabi in order to help students reach the end of the semester successfully.
Even professors who lived further away from the school were making sacrifices to make sure that every student who needed help had access to it, and I think other students would agree that it made the transition back to class much easier after Sandy. Even now they are still acting as a support system for students affected by the super storm.
“Last semester, even though we only missed one meeting for my child psychology class, my teacher was more concerned about safety than about being in class. She sent me the lectures because she knew people were not going to be there,” says Nicole De Fonzo, junior social work major. ”Most of them[the professors] asked [this semester] if anybody was impacted by Sandy. I know that some professors were impacted, as well. So they understand what everyone has been going through.”
Even though it has only been six months, so much has been rebuilt. There have been groups of students and adults braving the cold weather to help repair the destroyed communities and beaches to be ready for spring and the upcoming summer. Even citizens from out of state have been here rebuilding the boardwalks. Sandy was a storm that impacted us all, and I’m sure an event that we will never forget.
However, from this I have seen people grow closer, and act a bit more kind as this even a created a large attitude shift in our community. Now every time I see a “Restore the Shore” shirt, or a “Jersey Strong” bumper sticker, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride at how far we have come since October. We, Hawks have truly flown together through this storm and have emerged stronger.
