I believe it’s safe to say that the majority of us remember where and what we were doing on this day 13 years ago.

I was about halfway through my first month at Ole Miss. 

I was 18, on my own for the first time, and already feeling vulnerable and naïve. 

On that morning, I had just walked into my dormitory after biology class when I glanced at the lobby television and saw the footage of the planes flying into the World Trade Center. 

I just stood there for a moment and watched in horror. The words “terrorist attack” stunned me, for I never thought something like this would or could happen in the United States. 

When I heard the Pentagon was attacked as well my heart beat faster and faster as I ran to my room to grab my phone and call my dad. 

He works at Stennis Space Center and I was worried the terrorist’s intent was to attack every government building in the U.S. 

Relief flooded through me when I heard his voice on the phone and he attempted to calm me down, but I could hear the quaking in his voice. 

I realized he was just as shocked and rattled as I was. 

The rest of my day was spent in front of the television, calling family and friends and speaking with fellow students about the events. 

Although it was hard for me to be so far away from my family at a time like that, my thoughts were with the Americans who lost their lives and family members that day as I realized some family members weren’t going to hear that reassuring voice on the other end of the phone. 

I will never forget the events of that day. I grew up and learned a lot in a mere 12 hours. It definitely made me more appreciative of my life, my family and friends and this nation’s first responders.