As students prepared to begin another school year at Tulane University in New Orleans last fall, Mother Nature had an alternate plan in mind. Hurricane Katrina forced tens of thousands of students to evacuate and start their fall semesters at other universities across the nation.
While some students chose to return to Tulane in the spring, others decided to finish their college careers elsewhere. Here are their stories.
Louisa Rechter
A St. Louis native, Louisa Rechter was excited to begin her college experience at Tulane. However, her excitement suddenly transformed to fear.
“I felt very displaced and scared,” said Rechter. “I thought I was going to lose everything I left down there and I thought my school was going to be destroyed. I also felt horrible for the people that were stuck in the hurricane. I couldn’t believe it was actually happening.”
After spending her first semester at Wash. U., Rechter decided to remain in St. Louis for the rest of her college experience.
“I didn’t feel like [Tulane] would be the same,” said Rechter. “A lot of my close friends from New Orleans said it was devastating and unhealthy.”
Although it was a difficult decision to make, Rechter is very happy with her experience at Wash. U.
“It was a really tough decision for me because my heart was set on Tulane, but I didn’t feel safe going back.”
Cayla Damick
Cayla Damick already spent a year attending Tulane University and was waiting for her sophomore year to begin.
“I was moving into my apartment with my roommate [when] I was told I would have to evacuate,” said Damick.
Because a similar situation happened a year earlier, Damick initially was not too worried. Suddenly, her mindset changed.
“It looked like it was going to storm,” said Damick. “I spent five hours in my car driving to Tennessee, then heard it was a category five storm.”
After visiting Tulane in November, Damick decided to remain at Wash. U.
“The city was pretty disheveled,” said Damick. “I love New Orleans and wanted to help, but I didn’t see how the experience would be the same for me.”
Jackie Singer had been looking forward to beginning her college career all summer.
“It was move-in day and I was told I would have to evacuate,” said Singer. “I was pissed off I had to leave.”
When Singer returned to her hometown of St. Louis, she enrolled in the University College. Although she enjoyed her classes, her social experience on campus was not what she had in mind.
“I didn’t really have a ‘real’ college experience at Wash. U.,” said Singer. “I didn’t live on campus. I didn’t even initially apply to Wash. U. for the fall.”
Singer quickly accepted Tulane’s invitation to return in the spring. Despite her parents’ apprehension, she returned to New Orleans.
“At no point did my parents ever say I couldn’t go back,” said Singer. “There was never any question.”
Even though New Orleans’ scars from Katrina remain visible,
Singer is extremely pleased with her decision to return to Tulane.
“The city was obviously very different, but I still had a lot of fun,” she said. “It feels like life has pretty much returned to normal.”
Eric Dubs
When Eric Dubs’ Tulane Residential Advisor told him and his family he had to pack up his belongings and evacuate, he laughed.
“It was move in day,” said Dubs. “I was moving into my dorm room with my parents. I thought my RA was joking.”
Dubs’ family had just driven to New Orleans from their home in New York.
“My parents then dropped me off at Emory University,” he said. “I slept on my high schools friend’s dorm room floor and attended orientation events just so I could pretend I was having a freshman experience.”
After Dubs’ short stay at Emory, he attended the University of Maryland-College Park. When students were given the go-ahead to move back to New Orleans in the spring, Dubs opted to return to the Big Easy.
“I absolutely loved Tulane,” said Dubs. “I had been waiting to go back the whole semester.”
However, when Tulane announced it was cutting the mechanical engineering program, Dubs decided to apply to Wash. U. after visiting.
“It was highly ranked and I had to go somewhere that I didn’t have to leave again,” he said.
Dubs credits his fraternity for helping with his transition to Wash. U. At Tulane, he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity and is now a member of the Wash. U. chapter.
I just want to stay in one place now,” Dubs said. I have attended more colleges in one year than anyone I know.”