I had gone to class that morning like every other Tuesday though it was a bit stormy for an

August day. The wind was picking up and it had the smell of a snowstorm. As class wore on, the window
seemed to be doing less and less for bringing in light. Driving back home the sky was a definite storm
gray making everything seem in shadow. Trees bending more than their usual sway, even small branches
finding themselves resting on earth. Getting home finding the lights not responding to the usual flick of
the switch and then I got a message. “Did you still have class on campus today?” Of course I did, just like
always I was there by eight in the morning for class, but I thought Mekenna knew that. “The power’s out
at my house… but probs the whole neighborhood” Well that explains the lights. As well as the lack of
heat in the house, not as cold as outside but not where the thermostat usually is. My phone isn’t
connected to the Wi-Fi like it should be either. I’m going to have to find a place with internet I have a
zoom class at 3:00. The library isn’t open to the public right now, but maybe Carter’s place has power…

Unfortunately, Carter’s apartment had also gone dark, with him being in the same situation as I
was, we thought about going back to campus where there had been power that morning. Calls to
parents to let them know our plan turned into us being lectured about safety. We didn’t end up going to
campus. Instead we made our way to my mother’s office that was just down the street a ways. Just in
time too, I started my computer and had to log in to the meeting immediately. After finishing and
getting some schoolwork out of the way my friend and I left to still powerless homes. For three days I
had to find other places to do my work. Having to find public good enough public internet is hard
enough for one day, I couldn’t imagine not having the privilege of staying at home to have the internet
all the time. Even not having my own computer to access my classes. How do others achieve such great
things without their own access to what now connects the globe? We wouldn’t have such a connected
society without it yet there are many still in the dark.