Post-Harvey Reactions: Viewpoints Across the City

In some ways, it seems like Hurricane Harvey was months ago, and in other ways, it seems like it was just yesterday. Many people I know are still cleaning out their home, salvaging their most prized possessions, while also attending work and trying to get back to the daily grind. I spoke to a few people, living both in and outside the city, about how their lives were impacted by the storm.

As a student attending college in Houston, I can speak to the fear of being in the city where the hurricane directly hit. Many young people at universities like University of Houston and Rice University saw the damage firsthand, although many students were protected by the university from major storm damage.

Caroline Funderburk, a senior at the University of Houston, said,  “I thought everyone was overhyping the storm and did not realize how serious it was in some areas until I went with my family to a nearby relief center to donate and help the victims of the flooding.” Caroline’s family, who volunteered after the flood, like many other Houstonians, felt the need to help others who were less fortunate than themselves. “I loved having the opportunity to help victims that were directly impacted by the storm,” she said.

Other non-student residents are still in shock that the bayous are still flooded and that areas of town are still dangerous. Annalisa Briscoe, a director for the Sicardi Gallery in Houston who lives near White Oak Bayou, reported that she “feel[s] so thankful right now. At the end of our block, the neighbor was flooded, but the water has since receded . . .  what an incredible event.”

This photo, taken by Annalisa Briscoe, shows her neighborhood near White Oak Bayou after Hurricane Harvey.

Meanwhile, college-age students originally from Houston but living elsewhere expressed their gratitude at how many people checked in with them after the storm. Sarah Seong, a senior at A&M University and a graduate of Memorial High School, was “really grateful and impressed with the people in my life. Even in the midst of it all (the landfall/afterwards craziness), they were checking up on me (already in College Station) to make sure myself and my family was doing okay.” Many students living outside of Houston were undoubtedly worried about their homes, friends, and families still in Houston, but many schools in Texas are hosting fundraisers to raise money for relief. Sororities and fraternities at many schools, including University of Texas, Texas Tech University and Texas A&M are all raising money.

With Hurricanes Irma, Jose and Maria, we Houstonians can empathize with Floridians and residents in the Caribbean in a major way. Hurricanes cause unfathomable damage that can take years to repair. Some people may not even be able to restore their way of life to what it once was. With this in mind, don’t forget that relief centers are still taking donations and still need help. Houston will recover, but Harvey won’t be forgotten for a long time.  

Read Hurricane Harvey from a College Student's Perspective by Haley Kurisky for more on perspectives directly following Harvey.