Florida is often pictured as luxurious beaches, sunny weather, and oranges, but as the fall season approaches, many Floridians are retreating to the stores and snagging anything in sight for this hurricane season.
Hurricane days are the equivalent to snow days, and all children love to skip school, but what’s the impact of hurricane days on the school year? As a result of these events, the missing school days are made up of teacher-planning days, off days, and early release. In dire situations, time from passing periods will also be cut short. If enough days are consumed by hurricanes, then midterms could be put off or even canceled.
Florida does get the occasional beating from a tropical storm or in a more intense matter, hurricane Helene or Milton. So far, Florida is clear for the 2025 hurricane season. Compared to having Helene and Milton in the same year, this season seems to be letting us off easily. In case of a storm, here are some helpful tips for the hurricane season:
- Make an emergency kit with items like bottled water, flashlights, and non-perishable food.
- Develop a family plan in case of an evacuation
- If there is a flood, don’t get in contact with the water, as it could be unclean and damaging to your health
- Make sure your car has a full tank of gas
When hearing about an upcoming hurricane, people often brace themselves by stocking up on packaged meals, bottled water, and plywood to cover windows. But storms like these don’t just affect homes; they also impact Florida’s economy. Depending on the severity, category 5 hurricanes can have long-term effects, reshaping the economy by population loss and unaffordable insurance. For real estate, repair costs can skyrocket and leave many people without power for days on end.
While homeowners are often stressed and searching through shelves at Home Depot, high schoolers are calm. When asked about actions during a serious hurricane, “I celebrate the fact that there’s no school by watching tv”, said freshman Sireen Sweilem. One tip from her about hurricane season would be to keep all your electronics charged before the power goes out, diminishing the significance and focusing on the positives. In comparison, Freshman Kalista Sivils claims a similar perspective, stating “I’d either run and hide or just celebrate my vacation”.
