Just a week removed from bidding farewell to their newly minted LSU freshmen, some parents are insisting their children return home with Hurricane Isaac only hours away from landfall.
Faced with the possibility of power outages and destruction, many proud first year students decided to ride the storm out in residential halls while trying to keep contact with their loved ones back home.
Biology freshman Hunter Strohmeyer, a Naples, Fla. native and no stranger to hurricanes, plans to ride the storm out in East Laville Hall.
“[My parents] seem to think dorms are safer than anywhere else,” Strohmeyer said. “They’re not just going to fall over.”
Nashville native and philosophy freshman David Gibbs said while he’s never experienced a hurricane, his parents knew Baton Rouge was the best place to be.
“They weren’t concerned because they know up here [in Baton Rouge] it doesn’t get as bad as it does in other parts of the state,” Gibbs said.
Gibbs said he’s going to ensure his cell phone and laptop are fully charged in case the power goes out so he can keep in touch with his Tennessee family.
Both Gibbs and Strohmeyer said they’ll get together with other East Laville residents to hopefully enjoy the precious few hours of power left.
“Hopefully the power stays on long enough to play some XBox,” Gibbs said. “If it goes off, we’ll have a deep bonding time.”
Fellow biology freshman Logan Burnsed said his communication with his parents will be limited, if any.
Burnsed said he and his dorm-mate, mechanical engineering freshman Ross Armond, plan on venturing out into the rain and wind to fully experience the hurricane.
“My parents know me well enough to know I can take care of myself and handle a little hurricane,” Burnsed said.
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Contact Chandler Rome at [email protected]