UNC Asheville students share their thoughts on Hurricane Helene and online classes

Hurricane Helene hit the U.S. on September 26 and made its way to Western North Carolina, causing unprecedented destruction. The storm hit UNC Asheville and the surrounding area hard, and the university is trying to recover while classes are moved online.
Zakk Whaley, a senior majoring in creative writing, said he’s not a fan of online classes, especially at home.
“I don’t particularly like online classes, especially from home because of internet and focus issues. But I feel like it won’t be too bad after I’m back on campus and can better dedicate time and space to schoolwork,” Whaley said.
Whaley said he didn’t realize how bad the storm was until he and his friends tried to leave Asheville.
“The impact on the surrounding area was very tragic and hard to look at. So my heart goes out to everyone directly affected in the areas that got hit,” Whaley said.
According to Whaley, taking a break from school was a small relief, giving students time to process what happened. He said while online classes aren’t ideal, he’s hopeful.
“This is an obstacle we’ve all been through already, so I’m more than confident we can do so again for the remainder of this semester,” Whaley said.
As for the school’s response, Whaley said he appreciated what they did to help students during the evacuation.
“I’m glad everyone was able to come together to help get students off campus and check in to ensure they were safe and accounted for,” Whaley said.
Some students have concerns about costs like tuition and other things, he added, but Whaley said he’s still hopeful.
“I have faith in the process for letting us back on campus and working to get things running well again,” Whaley said.
The senior creative writing student also mentioned that his professors are understanding and flexible, which he appreciates.
Diana Aguilar Robles, a new media major and creative writing minor who graduates in December said she didn’t expect Hurricane Helene to be as intense as it was.
“At first, when I initially heard that Hurricane Helene was headed to Asheville, I didn’t expect it to cause so much damage,” Robles said.
When she made it home, she said the extent of the damage finally hit her.
“It’s surreal to see all of the places that I spent so much time in destroyed, such as the River Arts District and the Botanical Gardens,” Robles said.
Diana said she is also struggling with feelings of survivor’s guilt.
“Seeing the death toll rise and all of the missing people, it made me realize that I could have died myself,” Robles said.
Robles said she doesn’t feel right calling herself a survivor because she knows other people lost so much more.
“I feel very fortunate to have friends who looked out for me, made sure I was safe, shared information, and kept me company. It reminded me how important it is to support one another in the most dire of circumstances,” Robles said.
Ultimately, Diana said she understands that this experience has changed her life, even if she still has mixed feelings about what to call herself.
“Even though I am struggling whether to call myself a survivor or a victim, there is no denying that I have lived through Hurricane Helene,” Robles said. “It has impacted my life, and it will never be the same.”