Dear readers,

“Frankenstorm” has really taken a toll on the city! Right now I am sitting in my dorm, waiting for the blackout to come any second, and listening to the wind howl relentlessly outside my windows. Hurricane Sandy is supposed to hit the East Coast hard today. Due to the inclement weather, most schools and universities have canceled classes for Monday and Tuesday.

Luckily, the university has taken measures to prepare for this storm. University officials sent out e-mails with instructions in the case of a blackout, evacuation, or other emergency. Just recently, I received several text messages from the school regarding power outages in certain dormitories. They advised us to prepare a bag with essentials, in case we needed to leave the building and relocate to a safer location.

Yesterday I went out to buy a flashlight, but almost all of the nearby stores were sold out. Everyone was stocking up on water, food and other supplies for the storm.

Right now the city is unusually quiet. On any other day, there would be the sounds of cars honking, people chitchatting, and street artists performing. Tonight, there’s just the wind and rain hitting the window. The subway system has been closed since last night, and there is rarely anyone on the streets. Hopefully Hurricane Sandy will soon pass without leaving much damage.

Sincerely,

Bingyin