Some of those alternative paths to success included bundling smaller, earlier assignments into larger assignments due later in the semester or different versions of assignments such as oral presentations via Skype.
We have something like Harvey, but on a smaller scale to work through now. Tropical Storm Imelda ripped through the area last week. Came out of nowhere, like TS Allison, and did more damage than expected. I had the foresight (luck?) to cancel classes on Wednesday and Thursday so that my students would not have to worry about trying to get out of here. This campus very quickly becomes an island during heavy rain events. So far I've only heard from on-campus students and they had their vehicles totaled. Most are out for a short time but one sounds like he might be out indefinitely, but I am working to get him to at least do some work via online.
We will see what happens as the week unfolds -who shows up and what kind of stories I hear. The Platinum Rule is the motto of the semester: Treat others like they want (need) to be treated. Need to make sure that everyone who wants to continue in my classes are afforded the opportunity to do so. Plan B. Life is full of one Plan B after another. At least my life has been one Plan B after another.
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." -Yogi Berra
I feel as though we were all given little to no notice when it came to Imelda. However, I also feel the vast majority of us did not anticipate a level of devastation as intense as Harvey so soon after. I do commend those who continued to pursue their educational commitments that they set through all the trials and hurdles that hit our city. It can be so easy to say “I give up” when events such as these occur. I also give credit where credit is due, to the professors and educational establishments that reached out to their students in an effort to assist them with continuing their commitments. I strongly believe in Plan B, you never know what sort of curveball life (or Mother Nature) might through your way. Having a backup can alleviate unnecessary stress.
ReplyDeleteTropical Storm Imelda came into the Houston area just as unexpected as Hurricane Harvey. I didn’t think much would come of the rain but little did I know it would cause another devastation of flooding and a few unfortunate deaths in our area.
ReplyDeleteI work two jobs, going to school part-time and am very active in ministry at my church, so I try to be proactive and stay ahead as much as possible with schoolwork to avoid additional pressures or potentially turning in assignments late. I’m very grateful for my professor for his level of understanding during circumstances such as Imelda. Because of his own life experiences and having to come up with one Plan B after another, he most certainly understands but has not allowed setbacks to hinder him. I for one can appreciate and respect him for that. The emotional distress on someone affected by flooding is something I can’t relate to but empathize with. Life has a way of throwing challenges at us that we don’t expect, but having a Plan B will allow us to move forward towards our goal. I can only hope that students appreciate the compassion shown by their professors, such as Professor Ross-Nazzal and not take it for granted. I do want any student reading this to know that you are certainly in my prayers.
I really appreciate your sincere concern for you students. Things happen that we have no preparation for or no control of. With professors like you Dr. Ross it makes me feels that I can continue my dream to become a teacher and have the same compassion that you have when it comes to things like this. We have no control of Mother Nature but she has a way of showing up unexpected frequently. By allowing your students to have a plan B, it gives us the push that we need to not give up and complete what we have started no matter the circumstances. TS Imelda was a wakeup call to many. Things can happen within a blink of an eye. As I traveled from one high school to supervise a class by the time the bell rang it was pouring outside. All of my personal items were in my office at the other school. While rushing back thinking I can make it I got soaked from my head to toe. I had to leave for the day, but I constantly thought about my own children. On my way home I thought maybe I should get them for school, but listening to all the high water areas on the radio I did not want to chance it and get stuck. I worried for hours until my children made it home. All in a nut shell my family and I were safe throughout the storm.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that the city of Houston has a flooding problem, and that it is detrimental in many ways to its citizens, including students. I never thought why Houston is so susceptible to flooding.
ReplyDeleteIt turns out that there are a couple of factors that influence the severity of flooding in Houston—one of those factors being the lost of wetlands and prairie lands due to the city’s growth. For instance, a study (by the Texas A&M University System) that was conducted revealed that from 1992 to 2010, Harris County had lost about 29% (or 15,885 acres) of its freshwater wetlands. Wetlands are important because they soak up rainfall, which in return decreases flooding. To lower wetland losses, the city of Houston needs to be stricter with developers who wishes to expand their buildings in those areas, and to prioritize certain habitats that are important for the environment.
What has been done to focus on the flooding problem in Texas was the signing of Senate Bill 7 back in June. SB 7 is important because it will help pay for repairs and flood control projects across Texas by taking 1.7 billion from the Rainy Day Fund. It would be interesting to see how our state government decides to spend this money. Also, I would like to see Houston set most of its attention on improving its drainage infrastructure and some of it on green infrastructure, which are useful in large urban cities.
Overall, action needs to take place in Houston because if the city was to flood again like it did during Hurricane Harvey, then more students will be impacted than those during Tropical Storm Imelda. In other words, if our city prioritized its flooding problem, then students would have to worry less about a “Plan B.”
Being from California, I have never experienced anything like tropical storm Imelda. I have lived in Houston for a year now, and have witnessed how hard it can rain at natures will. Hurricane Imelda was no different, it rained relentlessly for a few days and flooded many parts of Houston, including many homes near my neighborhood. Living near a bayou, I quickly became concerned once I saw the water rising and appearing to be on the verge of overflowing. There were some houses that got severely flooded but luckily my apartment complex was just high enough so I was safe. I have seen how much damage these storms can cause, and I am grateful that some of my teachers are willing to offer a plan B. Education is important to many students including myself, and I know this storm has affected many students. Realizing that unfortunate events are inevitable and can happen at any notice, it is important for students to communicate properly with their professor. Some of my teachers did not reach out and ask students if they needed alternative methods of completing their course work, and that is why students need to actively communicate with their professors and let them know what is going on. Many teachers want to see their students succeed and pass, and communication is key to success. So do not be afraid to reach out and ask for help.
ReplyDeleteIt was Orientation Day and I was excited to hear all the fun stuff we would be exposed too. The Director of the Nursing Program comes up to talk to us, and she ended her speech with “LIFE HAPPENS”. I looked puzzled when she said that as she continued to explain. It's until I went through difficult times in the first semester of nursing that I realized what she meant. I am an adult student returning to college and I thought this would make it less challenging. Little did I know or expect. As a mother of two teenagers, a Boxer mom, and a wife I dealt with daily challenges. My first 3 out of 6 exams would reflect that quickly. In nursing school, you must go see a counselor and meet with your professor to discuss your “Prescription” for success. As I go in to talk to my professor, I explain to her that I am feeling overwhelmed. The only thing she knew about me was that I was always on time and prepared for class. So, she was confused on why I had scored lower than she expected. She went on to say that I knew the material we discussed and asked why? Here was my opportunity to vent at all the things I was dealing with alone. I started off by saying “Well this is the first time I take so many classes all at once." Then, I continued to say, “I have two teenage kids and my husband is currently working out of town." Then, I quickly rambled “and I am doing full time house stuff all on my own”. She looked at me, and her complete demeanor changed. She didn’t see me as a person that slacked off to study the material for an exam day. She saw me as a full-time parent with true responsibilities that normal young students didn’t deal with. All this was explained only so that I can express how Thankful I am for professors like this. The ones that take the time to be a counselor and take their job serious to help students succeed. I had to come up with a Plan B to bring my grades up, still be able to cook meals, wash clothes, give attention to my puppy Boxer, and find time for my marriage. We both came up with a compromise on how to juggle my classes and study schedule. We also both realized that I was overworking my brain every day without allowing it to reset. She had seen her doctor and he had recommended more sleep. She suggested the same advice to me. The first day I tried her advice worked wonders for me. Not only had I allowed myself to rest from everyday life challenges, but I also allowed my brain to absorb all the material I was jamming in daily. I woke up more energetic and felt guilty for sleeping so long that I cooked, studied and dealt with other things with positivity. I stopped and thought… “why did this professor take the time to help me? I later went to school and asked. She then started off by saying that she had too struggled in school and she knew the stress, she was a parent, and she was married. She had attended college right after high school so she could imagine how difficult it was for me to be a student, parent, and wife all at once. Until this day, I am grateful for the professors that sit and help students succeed. Our success only reflects on how caring they truly are for their career and others.
ReplyDeleteTropical storm Imelda was an encounter for many of us. Thankfully I was not affected as much as others for example, house flooding, cars flooding or any family members dying. Although natural causes can be horrible, it can also be a good thing because it becomes a story of how we overcame a difficult time in our lives, it becomes a testimony for others to listen to and it is something people will admire of us. I am grateful for Dr. Ross-Nazzal because he has so much concern for his students and truly cares for us. Also having Plan B is essential, we never know what the future holds for us and we have to be prepared for it. On Thursday, September 19th , it was the week when the storm was around, it was dark outside and it was drizzling, still I went to class and only about half the class showed up. While we were in class the drizzle turned into a heavy rainfall. Once it was time to leave, we got an e-mail saying we had to stay in place, but I was scared of the weather getting worse and my car getting flooded, so I decided to leave and thankfully I made it home safely. Prayers for everyone that experienced Imelda.
ReplyDeleteHouston is relatively flat and is barely above sea level. Downtown is only about 50 feet above sea level, and there's only about a four-foot change between the highest and lowest parts of downtown. It will be very hard when it comes to heavy rains especially storms and hurricanes. For example, Tropical Storm Allison June 5, 2001, no one expected that, five days later, it would go on record as one of the most devastating rain events in the history of the United States. 22 fatalities, 95,000 damaged automobiles and trucks, 73,000 damaged residences, 30,000 stranded residents in shelters, and over $5 billion in property damage. Leaving 31 counties with declared disasters in Texas, Allison went on to spread disaster declarations to Louisiana (25 parishes), Florida (nine counties), Mississippi (5 counties) and Pennsylvania (2 counties). Allison was the costliest tropical storm in the history of the United States. When it comes to situations that we can’t do it ourselves then we must work together as a city. Working together and rebuilding the city shows that whatever obstacles we go through we can complete it by being unified.
ReplyDeleteAfter Harvey the city has not been the same. It seems places that did not flood have now become prone to floods. The area I grew up in, near our HCC campus, now has streets that get completely covered with water. That was not the case when I was growing up. After moving into my new home, I was not, and still am not, aware of what roads to be mindful of when we have heavy rainfall. I was fortunate enough to not have had a major incident, but things could have been different.
ReplyDeleteHaving children in the HISD district, and them not cancelling classes, my husband set out to try and get them to school. After about half an hour he returned home with the children in tow. He shared the terrifying details of the state of the usual route we take. At a certain point in the road the large median separating the outgoing and incoming lanes was completely invisible. In that stretch of road there is only commercial properties that are fenced in and one gas station. Unluckily for him, the gas station was on the opposite side of the road. There was no turning back at this point and he decided to attempt to pass the high water. He made it. He found a way home and my children were terrified.
Next time we have another disaster like Imelda, I will not let those I care for go anywhere that could be dangerous. School and work are important, but not nearly as important as life itself. If my husband had decided to go to work that morning, and I would have attempted that drive, things would have been different. I am nowhere near as good of a driver and would have not tried to pass the water. I can’t even imagine the struggle it would have been to wait it out considering I have an infant as well. We came to the fork in the road. We chose the wrong way. Never again will that mistake be made.
I appreciate your concern for students during hard times. I know for me sometimes it can feel helpless to do things for others during hard times such as hurricanes and flooding. While we were getting flooding, I was in my math class, couldn’t even focus on the lesson. The rain came out of nowhere literally and all I could think about was getting home safe. Once rain starts Houston fills up fast like a bowl, and I think teachers need to be more considerate. I know school districts like Houston ISD sent students to school and it started to flood in the driveway. I just hope Houston can come up with better plans during natural disasters. If this means better draining systems or better preventions, then something needs to be done. The budget towards the things aren’t being well spent if we go through the same things twice every year.
ReplyDeleteThe damage of Hurricanes to Houston was very strong. It had a great influence on the citizen's properties and heath. Actually, hurricanes were a chance to challenge with people in human life. I admire all the people who know how to faced with problems, or who have overcome difficulties when the hurricanes come. Especially, I am really proud of students who are continuing with studying and researching besides the hurricanes. Plan B is really a great plan for students because it gives students access to learning without any hurdles from the storm. Through that, I don't allow myself to fail under any ambiances. In work or in the human life, I always set a goal for myself, but there are many plans for that goal because I know there will be times when my plan will not be the same as I thought. Instead, the challenges came unexpected and needed me to preserve with that. So, plan B is not simply a plan, it is an implicit challenge waiting for me and needs me to explore.
ReplyDeleteMy first hurricane experience was when Hurricane Ike hit Houston in 2008. I was around 7 or 8, so I didn’t really understand what was going on. I remember that the school district was shutting down school early and putting protection on some windows around the school. The next thing that I remember I was woken up by my parents telling to grab my pillows and blankets and to get in the car. We set off to a small city by Dallas called Denton to meet with my godmother and stay there until the storm went away. When we returned to Houston our house wasn’t damaged, but a lot of water went in the house. I think there's was a week without power and there was a lot of debris everywhere. Then when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, we went to my uncle's apartment, because he lives on the second floor. We stayed there for three days, our house is located near the bayou and we can see the water level increase. My parents always know we can't stay at home and I think that’s our plan b in these certain situations. I was very pushed backed by Dr. Ross-Nazzal asking us if we were alright after the storm. I never had a teacher ask their student if they are alright.
ReplyDeleteTropical storms have become more frequent over the last few years, leaving devastation behind. Imelda was no exception, it came out of nowhere, leaving severe floods, damage in the area and worry in many households. Natural devastations occur all of a sudden, giving no warning, and not allowing us to know how strong the storm will become or how long it will last. During Imelda, I was very fortunate to stay out of danger, I was at my friends apartment. She lives in a tall building, where we were able to witness how quickly the streets got flooded and saw how cars were trying to avoid the floods, and some (with big trucks) were brave enough to pass through the flooded streets. While being at my friends apartment, we were watching the news and saw how many people lost their vehicle; they were full of worry, some of them were just trying to get home to their family, and others were trying to pick up their children from school. Life has always been a series of unpredictable events, we never know what might happen, having a Plan B, and a professor like Dr. Ross-Nazzal, who understands that life can take unexpected turns, and allows his students to keep moving forward despite the adversities we might run into, it makes students want to keep working hard towards their goals, because there is someone supportive and understanding behind the challenges and unpredicted weather.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletecourtney girgin
ReplyDeleteHist 1301
I believe everything happens for a reason and it is up to us to handle those situations. Every day, we all struggle to get to where we need to be. Some people have it worse than others because we have difficulty planning and organizing our lives ahead of time. I believe people are afraid to say they need help or lowering their standards to make sure their Plan B plays out. Two years ago, I moved from Izmir, Turkey to Houston, Tx with my family of three. We had only seven thousand dollars to our name and four thousand of that went to a vehicle because in Houston you need a vehicle to survive. Our only lifeline was our minivan, my husband and I chose it just in case we were homeless and needed to sleep in it until stable. We lived in a cheap monthly based motel for months before I was finally hired by Mcdonalds, which was the first company to offer me a job. After a few months, we were about to move into an apartment. Then Harvey tried to Inflict our lives, but luckily we didn't allow him to visit us. Mcdonalds, motel, living in our minivan wasn't my Plan A and sometimes we have to plan and do the unthinkable to make sure that we have enough water, salt, and bread on our table.
I'm from California and we don't get the chance to experience natural disasters or hurricanes. My first hurricane was Hurricane Harvey. I didn't know what to expect from the Hurricane. Mu house unfortunately got flooded. I had to seek help from Red Cross. When it came to my classes i was ready to give up but my Government Professor and I sat down and was able to come up with a plan b. Knowing that you are fortunate enough to come up with a plan b is great. I was able to finish ut the semester strong. When Tropical Storm Imelda arrived i was completely shocked with how fast things turned out. i was having flash backs of Hurricane Harvey. Luckily my house didn't get flooded. When it comes t school it can already be some what stressful but when you add a curve ball into the equation it can throw people of their paths they created for themselves. If you are grateful enough to experience professors wanting their students to succeed it's an outstanding feeling. Life is filled with a lot of plan b's it just how you take it and make it better than you every imagine.
ReplyDeleteThe first time I ever experienced a hurricane was Hurricane Harvey. Although, where I live was not affected by the flooding, the whole experience was horrific. I remember that the internet was not working at all and had difficulties to communicate with my friends and family to check on them and let them know that I was alright. It was really frightening because where I am from, a little equatorial country called Gabon, we do not experience any natural disasters of this scale if not at all. I did not really know how to response to that catastrophic event and I did not really see how bad it could get until the bayou I lived not far from was flooded. At least, for Harvey, the city of Houston was somehow prepared for that unlike the Tropical Storm Imelda.
ReplyDeleteIt really stroked me that most of schools did not even canceled classes. It seemed like HSID did not see the seriousness of the situation and thought that it would be fair for students to go to school. It felt wrong and showed me that they did not learn from Harvey at all. Some schools even waited until the students got to school to notice them that classes were cancelled. It was already too late as most of them were stranded and could not leave campus, had to wait hours before reuniting with their families. Fortunately, for me, I did not even try to go to class as I didn't want to put my life on line for that. It was disappointing that schools cared more about not cancelling classes to not lose money than cared for their students' lives.
Tropical storm Imelda completely caught me off guard. At the same time, I guess Harvey did as well. I saw the news warning all of us about the storm, but I again did not take it seriously. I guess I learned my lesson yet again. I promised myself the next time the news warns me of any more storms I will practice safe precautions instead of predicting that the storm will blow over. I am originally from South Dakota so the whole worrying about rain is a whole new concept for me. I like many of my fellow Houstonians had car issues. I was scheduled to work at the hospital at 7 a.m. the day of my car troubles. I knew the roads would be congested due to the heavy rains and wind, so I left my house with plenty of time to appear to work on time. Halfway to my destination my windshield wipers mysteriously quit working. I completely panicked. The rain was pelting my cars windshield so hard I couldn’t see anything in front of me. I was driving completely blind. I was able to pull into a store parking lot to get out and inspect my wipers. It was my lucky day because a nice man came to my rescue. The nice man approached me asked if I needed any help. I tried to play it off and told him everything was fine because I was taught to not talk to strange men in the city. I eventually could tell he was genuine, and he reminded me of my small-town Dad, so I let him inspect my car for me. He was able to help me get my wipers back on track to get me off to work. Turns out he was a fellow Midwesterner. In the end I learned that my Plan B is that its ok to allow people to help you, even though you pretend that you can do everything on your own. I had this approach that because I was in a large city that every stranger was out to get me. When I finally let my walls down and let someone be a wonderful human to me is when everything got better. So out of the tropical storm and myself being a damsel in distress I learned its ok to let your walls down time to time. Also, during the storm people that I haven’t seen or talked to in years contacted me to see if I was safe during the storms. It shows that disasters can really make people come together.
ReplyDeleteHurricane Harvey was the first one I experienced because the one before, Ike we had left to another city as soon as we heard the news. Our home was destroyed after Ike because trees fell on top of our house. Ike was more of wind hurricane while when Harvey it was mainly water. Harvey hit us unexpectedly we weren’t even home when it all happened. I got scared because my whole family was at my grandmas celebrating her birthday, once it was time to leave we went outside and the streets were already flooded i started to over think about what would happen to our house because we live behind a bayou. We figured out how to get out from that area but on our way home all the exits from the freeway were flooded and closed we had no way out. My family left the car on the freeway and had to walk to my uncles house, the water was all the way up to our knees. Once there we stayed there over night and left the next morning the streets were still flooded. Thankully we got home safe, but sadly our car stopped working due to all the flooded areas we had to go through and our home had gotten water inside. Most of our personal belongings were far gone. Seeing most of my family members and close friends post on social media their status and what Harvey had caused was very impactful because I wanted to help them out but I coulnd’t. Once it was time to go back to school I was a mess, I came to a point where I didn’t want to go anymore because I wanted to help out at home. I noticed that my grades started to impact me even more but my counselor sat with me for a whole school day and helped me out. We talked about plenty of plan b’s that really open up to me, the school helped out my family and provided food for us on the table and also with school supplies that we had lost. Having someone to talk you through a plan b was very helpful because it made me realized not to give up and that no matter what life still goes on.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the concern.This hurricane really did just come out of no where thankfully the destruction level was no where near the level of Harvey that one was very traumatic for people I knew at the time.My family was fortunate enough to come out unscathed which cannot be said for many people seeing as times like these are where people have to start from scratch which is never easy.
ReplyDeleteSince the first time I moved to Houston, I noticed that there was a lot of cars with California license plate on the streets. Three years later, people come from Florida moved to Houston due to heavy and easy flooded over there. I think Houston is not only city or place have to face with flooded problem. Back to our problem, I think everything happened for a reason. Maybe at that time, we do not understand yet, but later on, we will know. For example, I did not know that the proof of my house has problem, it is just a small leak but by the time, it becomes bigger. The tropical storm Imelda came, I had to stay in my room and cleaned up all my room ay one time. The leak brought all water into my room. There are serval leaks, not only one, I was stressed out even we have insurance. But now, when I looked back, I think that was a good and reason chance for me to clean up all over my room ( only for me). Back to plan B, I was taught about life is not what I want or what I expect by my mom. There are tons of plan B in my life already. The only thing I need to do and remember is do everything the best I can. It does not matter how many plans that I have to plan, the point is the thing need to do done.
ReplyDeleteI been here all my life and there has been different hurricane but not like Harvey. Harvey was the one that i will forever remember because my lights were out for a whole month. The trees around my house were all on the floor and some on top of other houses. Harvey did a huge impact on so many other people that made me so sad because i had friends that lost family from Harvey which is heartbreaking. Me and my family always have a plan B just in case something like Harvey happened and we were prepared we had waters, can food and candles etc. There always must be a Plan B because is better to continue than to stop and struggle
ReplyDeleteHarvey was my first time experiencing a hurricane compared to Imelda. During Hurricane Harvey it left me out of work a whole week due to the area I lived in at the time. Harvey was a devastating storm for the Houston area, as many lost everything they had. At the time, I was not enrolled in school, but stuck at home from the roads being flooded with no way to go around to get me to work. This time around, enrolled in online classes Imelda to an affect in the Houston area. I was thankful to not endure any damage to my home but was left without internet usage from the weather affecting the lines. Having homework assignments and a test due, I begin to panic. Thinking how I will be able to get everything in before it's due. That's when my professors came and showed how much they care about their students by giving extra time to get assignments in later. Remember in any situation there is always a Plan B to help you strive in your journey.
ReplyDeleteHumberto Soto
ReplyDeleteHistory 1302
I value your concerns for students when there is situations like Harvey or Imelda. For example, Houston ISD doesn’t really care or consider their students and teachers health or life just to not lose money. My mother was struggling to take out my siblings early just because they were being ignorant. As for me, while it was getting flooded, I was in my English class and I couldn’t even focus on the lesson. The rain came out of nowhere literally and all I could think about was getting home safe. I had to leave class early because I was noticing that the water was getting higher by the minute and the last thing I wanted was to get stuck or get flooded. But this rain wasn’t as bad as Harvey and I hope students don’t start slacking or giving up in school just because of that.
It takes events like Tropical Storm Imelda for us to appreciate the things we have. Many did not expect to see their house slowly vanish. Others did not expect to suddenly get a call from their child’s school to pick up their child. Others dreaded watching their car disappear under the water. The worst part of it all is many have experienced these tragedies twice since Hurricane Harvey. Having a teacher like you should make us all feel special. Rarely do students have a teacher who is willing to make adjustments or come up with a plan B. Losing a house or a car can be devastating, especially to worry about one’s own life. Those who are working full time and paying for college on their own may start over again and work their way up again to get a new place and/or car. Sometimes, that person may not even have family members who they can reach out to for advice, and this may lead to stress and the mindset of wanting to quit. It is devastating to have one’s favorite aunt call them to let them know that their house has once again been flooded. My aunt’s house was completely flooded during Hurricane Harvey. She had barely been half way done fixing her house after Harvey, when all of a sudden Imelda hit. I can only be thankful enough for the safety of my family and me during Tropical Storm Imelda.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Professor, for caring. I have heard so many stories of loss in the past few years. Working with people that live in and around the Meyerland area seeing so many lose their home. Homes and neighborhoods that never flooded. Home upon home for sale with no buyers in sight. All because everyone knows that Houston just floods. All the signs say never flooded, but what they don’t say is that the neighborhood floods and the chances are you won’t be able to get out for a few days. So many have only to rebuild and live in fear constantly of another storm. I have lived in Houston since 2005, the year of Hurricane Katrina that hit New Orleans. The following week Rita was due to hit Houston and although there was not much damage in comparison to other storms, the city of Houston was at a standstill for about a week. It seemed to me that so many people were trying to evacuate due to the fear of what happened in New Orleans. For my family and I, Hurricane Harvey has left an impact especially for my daughter, she now has fears every time it rains. Her fears are if she is at school and it floods, I won’t be able to get to her. Her fears came to life on the day Imelda hit. I went to work like many that day not realizing how bad it would get. Long story short I was stuck, and that meant I could not get to my daughters’ school by dismissal. This was a true learning experience. I’m truly considering relocating and from my experiences these past few weeks, I will not be sending my child to school or going anywhere when the threat of a storm is approaching this area. The risk is just too great. It just seems to me that its getting worse.
ReplyDeleteHaving a Plan B is a must. Most of the time we go through life simply thinking it's all in a straight path and when reality hits it's hard to adjust. In situations such as Hurricane Harvey it was vital to act quick instead of becoming overwhelmed by the situation itself. The aftermath was probably the hardest to deal with due to the physical damaged that it cost. It is difficult to keep an optimistic and forward thinking attitude when you don't have a roof over your head or reliable transportation. In all of life but specially, it is vital to maintain a growth mindset. The term comes from professor Carol Dweck. She says, "In the growth mindset, failure can be a painful experience. But it doesn’t define you. It’s a problem to be faced, dealt with, and learned from.". By building a plan B resilience can be formulated as saying I'm ready for things to not go as planned and to not give up when this happens.
ReplyDeleteHey Carolina, i agree on what you are saying about how having a Plan B is a must because you never know when anything can go wrong. A phrase that i have always heard is "Expect the Unexpected" which means be prepared for anything that can happen. I like the quote that you used from your professor and how you connected it to the topic, giving up is never an option. If Plan B doesn't work there should be a Plan C, there are always solutions to problems and sometimes you have to find your way through it.
DeleteIt was in your class that I first heard the concept of Plan B from a professor or teacher. Often times in school, I have had classes that have “no tolerance” policy, which is understandable in terms of late work and tardiness, but I believe that obstacles like Harvey should be an exception. Having a Plan B is a good notion for almost anything in life, and I believe it allows me to have a broader perspective in life, and plan for when things don’t go my way. As Benjamin Franklin says best, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”
ReplyDeleteIqra Yamin
In my memory, Harvey is one of the strong storms in Houston until at that time. This is a big storm that damaged to many houses and people in Houston. I still remember this is the first storm that I have experienced when I came to America. Harvey lasted for two weeks and left Houstonians heavy damages. Adults cannot go to work and earn money in that two weeks. Also, students cannot go to classes for education and just stay at home to be safe. People are at risks and worries. After two weeks, everything is back to the same way, and everyone starts their work as well as their school as usual. In that situation, we can realize one thing that when there is any troubles or problems happening to us, we should think in positive and different ways. We must be acquainted with that, handle with that, and especially make a plan B for that. Making a plan B is one of the best ways to solve any problems or troubles that are always happening around us as well as our life. We are always in an active position, ready to solve or handle with any situation, and make a plan B for everything. Plan B will be always the second chance for us to be ready to overcome and to deal with any problems in our life. Taking an action and taking an advantage of using plan B will make everything in our life better and better.
ReplyDeleteTS Imelda, although we knew it was approaching our city, caused much more damage than any of us could have expected. I truly appreciate what you, Dr. Ross-Nazzal, did for your students: send a message asking if everyone was safe. Out of my three professors this semester, you were the only one to ask the students if we were okay and you even accepted late-work for one assignment. That shows that you really care about your students more than just teaching the course.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, people must always have a plan B for any situation and in every aspect of their life. I was not directly affected by Imelda, however, the store where I work was about to get flooded because of some failure in the drain service and I lived some hours of chaos in my head thinking that I could lose my job and that my boss could even lose her store. We had to come up with a plan B to be safe and also securing our second home (which is the place where we work). What we did was to put some wood as a barrier at the front and the back doors to try to stop the water to come in. We did not think we would spend the day worried about the rain and trying to protect the store from the flooding but unexpected things happen and you need to act fast to not get stuck in a bad situation.
Tropical storm Imelda seemed to have hit many people around the state differently and more suddenly than I think most of us had predicted that it would. Although I was not personally affected in any way by the storm, I understand the reality of the situations it brought, and I have seen that not everyone was so fortunate to have been saved from any damage the storm brought. The fact that you, Dr. Ross-Nazzal, were thoughtful enough to at least reach out to your classes and make sure that everyone was safe was very kind and went beyond just being a professor. It was also very generous of you to save everyone the hardship of travelling through the tropical storm anymore than they had to by cancelling class. The damage that the storm left behind differed in certain areas, but some were left in difficult financial positions or harmed in some way caused by the storm. People were for the most part able to return to their normal lives, however, others had to fall back on their plan B or quickly had to come up with one to keep their priorities and lives together. The students that were affected were especially put in a difficult situation with maintaining their attendance and paying for their classes. For example, I had a friend that called me after the storm, telling me that she got in a car accident and that she wasn’t going be able to attend class for a few days. She had to struggle with finding and paying for temporary transportation while her vehicle was getting repaired as well as finishing paying for her tuition. My friend, like many others was put in a very stressful situation and had to quickly build a plan B so that she can resume with her life and responsibilities. Everybody is going to need help or assistance at some point in their lives and it would be in everyone’s interest to help; whether they are professors, students, co-workers, or even managers. By helping those around us we can influence others and provide an environment that is full of givers rather than takers.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for schools and professors to be sensitive to their students’ needs, especially during natural disasters. Many students at HCC not only are full-time students, but also have full-time jobs, and some are even full-time parents. It is difficult to find a sustainable balance to undertake the responsibilities we have chosen to take on, and even more difficult to address situations that are out of our control, such as natural disasters.
DeleteI appreciate Dr. Ross-Nazal’s openness to understand and help students in need. I wish more professors were as understanding.
I happened to move to Houston one week before Hurricane Harvey hit the area on August 2017. For months, I had been looking forward to escaping the Chicago winters. Having lived in Austin for many years prior to moving to Chicago, I was expecting to get back to the long hot summers and the monotonous Texas weather that I had been longing for. But Harvey hit me by surprise. I would have never imagined that Houston was so vulnerable to unexpected weather changes that could cause so much devastation. When Harvey struck, I was very lucky to be in one of the safe areas of the city that, for a couple of weeks, became an island. I had no electricity for days, and for that same reason, I had no way to know what was happening outside of my home. It wasn’t until four or five days after the catastrophe happened that I became aware of the devastation it had left throughout the area. Thousands of people, including friends, had lost everything they owned.
ReplyDeleteLittle by little, Houston began to recover, the streets started to dry, and people were slowly incorporating themselves back into their routines. It wasn’t long before the media reported $127 billion dollars in damages by the 50 in. of rain that some areas received. Almost every street I drove by had debris from buildings that had been destroyed. Volunteering groups started to get organized to help families in need, restore public spaces, and rescue animals that had been found wondering around. Only when things seemed to be back to normal, tropical storm Imelda struck on September of this year. Luckily, Imelda wasn’t as severe as Harvey, but the most affected areas saw 43 in. of water, and approximately 340 houses in Harris county suffered severe damages.
City engineers are working on plans to fix the city’s deficiency of water flow. I hope we can be better prepared for future events. On my end, I have located organizations where I can volunteer to assist people and animals in need in case of another catastrophe. I plan to be ready to be of assistance in case of an emergency and to volunteer in the restoration of the public areas around my neighborhood, such as the Buffalo Bayou.
Harvey was totally underestimated and when it came, nobody seemed to know what to do in my family. There was no food and stores were closed. It was the week of orientation when everything started as well and I was still on my two-year gap after high school and I wanted to start college. School was the only thing I looked forward to. It was stressful because I had all these things at the back of my head plus having to look for food so that my family didn’t have to starve for the foreseeable future. I realized that maybe I was not going to be able to start classes that semester because of Harvey. But luckily the school offered regular term and second start classes, and I was able to continue my education that same year. HCC has some of the best staff ever because it has people who care and are fair. I would not have been able to embark in this journey without the caring staff that this institution has to offer. It is nice to know that HCC is not stopped even in a crisis like a hurricane. Especially the wonderful staff who work with you if there is an issue then a solution will be worked out.
ReplyDeleteAs a Houston native who has experienced multiple tropical storms and hurricanes i feel as though our school system should be scheduled to have holiday break during the hurricane season. Every year around early fall and spring we deal with massive amounts of rain and tropical storms leaving houston with inches to feet of water displacing many homes along with making it harder for students to complete school work due to internet and electricity shortages too. Even if schools cant take off during hurricane season all teachers should have a plan b to help support their students, and keep in mind we are all human. The stress of being displaced dujring a tropical storm can weigh in and can be a lot for professor and students.
ReplyDeletecourtney girgin
Deletehistory 1301
Removing children from an educational environment every hurricane season will not make the situation better. Education is very important and pulling children from school is only a temporary solution. In my opinion, The city of Houston and all surrounding areas need to gather together and come up with a better channeling system. Houston is a gas-rich city and it is unfair what the civilians go through yearly. Dubai is a gas-rich country and they transformed a desert into a beautiful touristic place, which if they ever ran out of gas, they will still be supported by tourism. Although Houston is a fairly newer looking city compared to the rest of the united states, I do not see the money being put inside the city to perfect the drainage system and infrastructure in general. Putting band-aids over the issues does not fix problems. If Houston and surrounding areas cannot find a solution for the drainage problem, I believe the city should ask for outside help.
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ReplyDeleteI remember, when the news and media first announced that a bad tropical storm was going to head its way towards Houston. It was four days of warning, before the infamous Hurricane Harvey hit landfall on August 26, 2017. Harvey had caused catastrophic flooding, injuries, and death throughout the city and outskirts.
ReplyDeleteMany Houstonians were now stranded,even homeless, without a clue, as to what was going to happen next after all the disaster and the tragic condition the city was now in. Considering the horrific weather circumstances we were in, I thought it was great how Houston proved to be strong as a city, by helping one another out any why anyone possibly could. Many Neighbors gave shelter and food for those who were in need, churches, businesses, and many communities got together to help those who were helpless. Endless boats and high-wheel trucks joined forces to rescue stranded people all across Houston to initially get them in a safer and drier place. It took a long time for us to recover from it all, but we managed to bounce right back up and were still a work in progress, but were getting there.
I came to Houston on January, 2017. And in this year, the first time I ever experienced a hurricane was Hurricane Harvey. Although, where I live was not affected by the flooding, the whole experience was horrific. I remember that people in my family was worried about that. They called their friend, their cousin to check on them and let them known we were alright. It was really frightening because I live in Houston by myself with my uncle’s family. I was scared and I wanted to go home. When my parents called me to check on me, I told them I am okay. Honestly, I wanted to tell my parents I want to go home but I could not say that because I did not want they worried about me and I told myself I will be alright. The following day, the hurricane was over but left us a huge loss. People lost house, car, everything they built before. They could not do anything, the only thing they could do was stand to see everything swept away in the water flow. I was very upset to see it. And it became an obsessive effort in my life. Every single time we have heavy rain, I am very afraid it will happen again. Furthermore, people usually say “ everything has two sides good and bad, Harvey brought a lot of bad things to us but it also gave to us a lot of good things. During the hurricane and after the hurricane, people that I haven’t seen or talked to in years contacted me to see if I was safe. It shows that disasters can really make people come together.
ReplyDeleteI've lived in Houston most of my life except a short period when I was forced to go live with my father in San Antonio because my parents were going through a divorce at the time. But we have never really seen much happen when the hurricanes were going on until Harvey came through. So, because we didn't expect much to happen, we decide to stay in our apt at the time. I went to my room to get ready for bed but noticed my floor was a little soggy. We then went to the back of our apt to check the bayou but didn't even need to go that far because we could see that the water was on its way into the neighbors apt., I remember banging on the other neighbors' doors to tell them about the water rising and that they should get out while they still could. We were able to escape the waters grasp by a hair but not for long because we were trying to make it to my grandmother's house which was not too far but still a good ways away with all the water that was around us. It was a good thing we had a truck because if we did have a car we would have never made it to a nearby church where we then had to aboded our car because water was getting in the muffler and was causing the car to stop and go. We were still a mile away from my grandmother's house but luckily, we were able to find a nice couple we took us in and dried our cloths off for us. We owe them much for what they did for us in our time of need. We now didn't have a car to take me to and from school but that would not stop me because I am determined to continue my education no matter what I had to do. I would offer my neighbors a car wash in exchange for a ride to school and would have to walk back to my house. This was only for a good week until we were able to get the car running again.
ReplyDeleteI feel what you do professor in keeping in contact with us students is very appreciative in making sure that we are alright and if there is any concern we can always contact you through the inbox. For example, for those students who couldn’t come to class because of hurricane Harvey, they were able to work with you to come up with a plan B and were still able to continue to take your class. And I agree, that no matter what someone can be going through in life there will always be another opportunity. The easiest plan B for a student is to always keep in hand the syllabus at the beginning of the semester because a student can always contact the professor through email, phone or even visit during their office hours for any question or concern that a student may have. An example of a Plan B was when sometimes my car would stop working and thankfully some of my friends were able to take the time to take me to school. Even one time when I had no ride for my final exam, one of my friends were able to pick me up just in time for me to take the exam. Another example of plan B was when I had to turn in a research paper for my class, but I did not follow the directions correctly. For that assignment I was supposed to submit it through an online website called “Turnitin.com” but I was also supposed to turn in a hard copy to the professor. I was the only one who did not follow that direction and I quickly came up with a plan B. After class I asked the professor if I could simply go to the computer lab and print out the hard copy and after being granted permission, I quickly went to the computer room and printed out my essay and turned it in. One example of a plan B from this class was when my group and I from History 1301 wanted to meet with you during Thursday but we didn’t message you through inbox to confirm. But since I was in class that day, I was able to ask you last minute if we could see you. Luckily one of my group members came to school and I told him the news that we could see the professor by twelve and we were able to get great information for our OER assignment. From taking this class, I learned that Plan B’s are always out there and it is up to the students to figure out what that plan B really is.
ReplyDeleteYour demonstration of good Samaritan behavior is appreciated. Unlike you, Dr. Ross-Nazzal, the major school districts do not care for the student body. When hurricane Harvey and tropical storm Imelda swept Houston, they left behind a great deal of damage. Even then, HISD, a major school district, practically forced students into attending classes disregarding the fact that some were physically incapable of. Although, I will also agree with the notion that education is very important. It would be ideal if the student could attend school and receive classes, but if attempting to do so could jeopardize their physical health, it is in their best interest to not attend school. I believe the school system should also put more effort into giving their students proper aid for these types of events. Once a student gets the proper help, they will be able to successfully attend class.
ReplyDeleteAfter the many hurricanes and tropical storms such as Harvey and Imelda, it’s pretty obvious that Houston has a big flooding problem that needs to be solved. Back in 2017 when Harvey Happened, my family decided to evacuate because besides the fact that we weren’t prepared at all to stay sheltered at our home, we were at risk of actúa being flooded so we packed and left expecting to come back to a flooded home. Fortunately we weren’t affected at all but sadly our neighbors were, so before we headed back home from San Antonio, we decided to bring water and food to our neighbors and relatives who were affected. On our route back we saw how a vast majority of Houston was flooded and a lot of houses were severely damaged, it was pretty devastating to see all of that. Then years later Imelda out of nowhere came and also did a lot of damage, but we still had issues with flooding, which based on past experience from hurricanes there should’ve been improvements in flooding prevention systems to avoid possible damages in our communities but there wasn’t much of any changes. Texas and Houston officials need to pay more attention on improving its drainage infrastructure, so in the future there won’t be as many flooding issues.
ReplyDeleteHouston floods have a major impact on our community. Many people are left without a place to live due to property damage, transportation, health concerns and possible loss of a loved one. Events such as a flood can cause mental wear and frustration makings it hard for them to get back on their feet. Though I personally have never been affected by a flood, I have dealt with issues that have affected my life, interfering with my daily life. For instance, my father has chronic health issues that involve his heart and lungs in which he takes multiple medications for. A couple a months ago he had a pacemaker implanted and he was having a hard time coping with it. Recently, he had a mental breakdown and had to be hospitalized. They discharged him after a couple of days and my family and I came together to be by his side. It took a toll on me, my mom and my siblings because it was hard trying to understand what was happening and how we were going to help my father come out of this. I’ve never really understood mental health issues and the only way I could explain my father’s mental state was a combination of many other factors such as stress, insomnia, medication and his health condition. I was losing sleep and crying all the time. I wasn’t able to do my best on my test and I wasn’t prioritizing my school work. There was a point where I was going to put school on hold because I couldn’t focus on anything thing else. I explained to my mom to hold off on updates until I was out of class or after doing my homework because I couldn’t focus. That alone made a huge difference. After weeks of witnessing him struggle and coming together to help him, he is coming back to himself and things are going back to normal.
ReplyDeleteBeing born and raised in Houston, Texas has taught me many things about hurricanes and tropical storms such as they are both no joke! When TS Allison hit our city I was a child but the water had risen so quickly in our area I had to rescue my mom, grandma and cousin from the rising waters. Since then, I've helped people when a natural disaster occurs such as Hurricane Harvey, I personally went into the storm to help people who felt helpless. I ended up sick from being in the water but I felt I did my part in helping our city regain it's stability. Before TS Imelda hit our city I completed my assignments early, and prepared myself to hit the city to help if I needed too because I learned how helpless we seem to become if we lose personal property. I think more professors should be as considerate as Dr. Ross when it comes to understanding how outside forces can affect our daily lives.
ReplyDeleteI was privileged enough to not be affected by the aftermath of Allison. We planned for the worst the day before. My mom was wondering if I still had classes the day of the incident (before it happened). I told her that my professors didn’t cancel any class. I was lucky that my first was online and the professor said we didn’t have to show up to class. If he didn’t say that I \would’ve been on campus from 11 to what ever tine the storm settled down. I was also worried about my mother and whether her job was going to tell her to stay home or was going to be forced to go in. Luckily, she did the initiative and called them, and she could stay home. I also Called every person I knew that was probably affected and made sure they were ok as well. The Platinum Rule is the motto is something I always hold up to high standard because I know how I want to be treated and how other people would like to be treated
ReplyDeleteAs a native of Houston I've experienced all of the most recent storms that have come and have had some trouble with them affecting my daily life. Work was an issue due to the lack of ways I had to make it there and it was flooded all around my area. When it came to school issues I was unable to complete my work due to the wifi being out within my area. It was troublesome dealing with the issues that came along with Hurricane Harvey and how long it went on for. I know there were people at my job stuck there for days and couldn't get home. It was a struggle for a lot of people but we ended up making it through. Since school was delayed, all of my class assignments ended up being extended further than the original due date and all went well after that.
ReplyDeleteBeing a native Houstonian, floods are becoming somewhat of a common thing. Harvey completely devastated the city and its affects can still be seen today, just 2 years later. Wow, its already been 2 years that harvey took houston by storm and caused multiple injuries and deaths.The only positive thing that came with harvey was that Houston finally came together to help each other out, regardless of who it was.But unfortunately we were hit yet again with a horrifying storm named Imelda. Imelda hit houston with major floods that caused endless injuries and deaths. Personally, i was not directly affected by either storms. But some family and friends werent as lucky. i had multiple family members have to stay in shelters, along with some friends. their homes were completely devastated due to both Harvey and Imelda. Hopefully we wont have any of those disasters in houston for a while, but only time will tell.
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year living in Houston, however, tropical storm Imelda is not my first run in with mother nature. in 2003, Hurricane Isabel devastated my neighborhood in Norfolk, Virginia, along with many others. Since then I have experienced many other tropical storms, including typhoons while being stationed in Okinawa, Japan. I understand that "life happens", and mother nature is a prime example of this, but as you stated previously, "life is full of one plan B after another". I think that students being held accountable for course assignments even in the midst of something like a tropical storm teaches a valuable lesson of persistence. Of course, empathy from a professor is still necessary, as some students situations might differ in severity from others, but life does not stop because of inconveniences. Too often do people, including myself, expect a free pass because of a fork in the road. Life, especially outside of school, is not easy. Students should take the opportunity to push through and work harder when faced with tribulations. Getting free passes whenever life gets in the way of responsibilities only creates entitlement, and I think there is enough of that in todays culture. There are always two ways to perceive a situation. You can view it in a positive manner, or a negative, however, you can only learn and grow from one. Lastly, I agree with the sentiment of treating others how they want/need to be treated, and having a plan b. Having a plan b will teach you not to roll over in defeat whenever life throws you a curveball, which it will.
ReplyDeleteNatural Disasters can happen at any moment of the year. Sometimes the city isn’t prepared for it, especially people. For instance, college students who are struggling already with balancing classes and some with full time jobs and personal lives. Many lose their homes due to flooding waters, having been evacuated and having nowhere to go. Sometimes they are unable to attend class, having to deal with their problems first. Being healthy and in good shape is important because without being stable, a college student wouldn’t be able to move on in the class and having to resort from dropping the class or sometimes even college overall.
ReplyDeleteNot many professors give students the chance to come up with a Plan B or even try to work with their problems and find a solution so the student can still somehow manage to do their work outside of the classroom. Especially in Houston with our immensely growing population and unstable weather, any incident can happen in the blink of an eye. Ruining our future plans, our daily schedules and having to fix everything back into place.
For example, this semester had started off good, I had been going to classes, balancing work and school. All was well for the first few weeks. Until one night when everything turned upside down. I was involved in a hit and run car accident. My car, my only liable transportation to work and school, totaled in a matter of seconds. It left some mental scars and physical pain. I really lost hope and didn’t think I would be able to return to class. But luckily my professors were kind and understanding that I was able to work out a plan to work from home, while I recovered and assessed the damages done from the incident. Especially my history professor who made sure I didn’t stay behind and with my Plan B, I am about to finish class.
Sometimes life hits you across the face, us not expecting the hit, get damaged hard sometimes, not having the fundamentals to fix the problem right away. Some just need a little bit of time and maybe even a second plan to finish our goals and not stay behind in our plans.
Houston weather can really be a fork in the road sometimes. When Imelda hit Houston, a few of my classes were cancelled, and part of me was glad because that meant my sister didn't have to drive through that awful storm; however, I was upset that I would be missing class because I had a test that week. As a plan B I decided to use the extra time to study for the test, and get other work done. I think we can all agree that things don’t always end up like we want them to. That is why it is important to find ways to adapt to new circumstances, and have back up plans ready just in case something unexpected happens.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely sad that we keep running into these road bumps and unfortunately losing people because of them, but we have to keep moving forward. We have all gone through many devastations but if we keep dwelling on the last one, we will never make it past the next. If people need help, they shouldn’t stay quiet. Speak up! We're here to help, because at the end of the day if we have to look out for each other. Shortly after Harvey I remember I went to the NRG Stadium and volunteered to help; I oversaw preparing the items needed for those who needed them. Along with many others we were able to make a difference and I think that’s beautiful, in a world where there is so much evil, we could really make a difference if we just helped each other.
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