Usually as Fieldston students, we are focused on having our days disrupted by our teachers announcing upcoming tests, not natural disasters. However today at 10:23 am, Fieldston, with all of NYC, felt the effects of a 4.8 Magnitude earthquake, shaking the city from as far North as Boston to as far South as Baltimore. The earthquake, believed to have been caused by the collision of the Ramapo fault lines that run through the Garden State, originated about 40 miles west of New York in central New Jersey. It interrupted what was gearing up to be an otherwise normal day.
Within an hour of the earthquake, the school administration sent a message to parents and students explaining what exactly had happened, confirming there was an earthquake. In addition, at 11:02 am, an announcement was made over the loudspeaker reporting the same information included in the emails sent to parents and students.
While the earthquake only lasted a few moments, it quickly overshadowed any other topics that may have come up in classes, becoming the topic of discussion for several students passing in the halls or talking with classmates throughout the day right before subsequent classes began. Conversations ranged from surprise and curiosity about what had caused the earthquake, to jokes about the event.
Señora Rodas-Ramirez, who is from Guatemala, one of the most seismically active locations on Earth, said she knew from the noise and vibration of the room that it was an earthquake and that it was important for her to make sure her students remained calm as the earthquake shook the room.
Others, such as Luciano Glassner (Form VI), described the earthquake as incredibly startling and panic-inducing. He said the vibrations he felt from the floor of the Tate Library, as he wondered what was happening. “Feeling my body react to [the earthquake] was so weird,” said Glassner. “Feeling myself starting to get nauseous and my head feels lightheaded was what I will remember most from this.”
Ella Klebaner (Form III) described the entire experience as scary, saying how she believed that it seemed like “someone was jumping” above her. Lily Saal (Form V) noted that the terror lay in the first: “It was my first earthquake ever. I didn’t even realize what was happening until afterward.” Understandable given how this is the first earthquake of this magnitude to happen in NYC since 1884.
Emma Medvedsek (Form VI) described the irony of being in Dr. Nolte’s People and the Planet class, which focuses on the environment, while a natural disaster interrupted. “It was really ironic because we were talking about the climate and there it was, the climate acting on us,” exclaimed Medvedsek. That wasn’t the only comical interruption; English teacher Michael Morse’s freshman class watched the attack on Dunsinane (from “Macbeth”) intently as the tremors shook the room. He laughed as he recalled, “Some kids asked, ‘Is this part of the movie?’”
Immediately after the earthquake, several students wondered if school would be canceled. Although school continued as normal, it did not prevent students like Form V’s FSG Representative Patrick Kisling from discussing their opinions. “I strongly believe school should be canceled,” proclaimed Kisling.
In what amounted to an incredibly eventful first week of school back from Spring Break, this once-in-a-lifetime earthquake will be an experience that will leave a large impression that many Fieldston students shall remember for years to come.
Can’t wait for Monday’s eclipse!
