Tuesday, March 29th – It was a mild and sunny day in River Forest, Illinois and everything seemed normal on CUC’s campus. Classes were in session, people were walking around the buildings and triangle-area outside and it seemed like all was right with the world.
That all changed in a split second.
Around 12:45, I was sitting in the TV studio in Krentz as my radio broadcasting class was just wrapping up and was about to get ready to go home for the day…when campus went dark. All the lights and electronics plugged into the walls all went out with one “pop” and the room went pitch black. The sudden moment of shocked silence followed by the sounds of my classmates and professor saying things like “What…” or “Oh my goodness, what on Earth happened?”
The initial stunned reactions followed mass confusion as to why our campus went back to the Stone Age with no power or electricity. I asked myself and then others, “Could this power failure just be our building? Or is our entire campus without power?”
“I don’t know,” said my professor, “that could be possible. I wonder what happened.”
No one knew initially, so it was time to investigate. Our professor and other classmates began to pack their things, since we obviously couldn’t finish class in the dark, when I ventured into the halls of Krentz to seek more information.
Many people were in the lobby, with flabbergasted looks of confusion and awe. It was clear that at least the whole building was out; I still wondered about the rest of the campus. The only light in the building was from sunlight beyond the Krentz doors, and the emergency exit lights on the exit signs. People were scrambling to find out what was going on because we never truly thought this day would actually come.
The thought of anarchy came across my mind. Without power, how can students be controlled by the faculty? Without electronics, the student body could lose their minds. Would CUC soon be ruled by the students in an uprising?
As I overheard many people chatting, one Concordia employee told a colleague of his that the power was out all over campus. Dorms, class halls, the KCC, Chapel of Our Lord, Athletic buildings, offices…all dark.
I then thought of all the people in classrooms without windows…or worse…those in the Cougar Den. I was at ease realizing that people could still escape the darkness and get outside without excess bumping and involuntary shoving with the use of cellphone light. It was difficult to imagine how people would escape without cellphones lighting the way…I just hoped the battery on the phones was sufficient enough for everyone to seek the light away from the indoor darkness. So much was going through my mind with so many fears of bad things happening.
Everyone’s day was at a halt as no one could work or be in class without power and seemed like most the student population was migrating outside into the light. No signs of anarchy luckily, so people still had their minds together.
My friend Chris, who is in my radio class was planning on using our radio equipment to work on a project. He turned to me with a look of sorrow and frustration and said, “Well, can’t work on my senior project now.”
We parted ways and wished each other the best, not sure if I would see him tomorrow or the next day (depending on when the power would return).
As I left the TV studio, I met up with my friend and apartment roommate Brad. Him and I usually walk to our apartment together on Tuesdays because we both are done for the day at 1:00. Brad works for campus security and we decided that based on the circumstances it was a good idea to venture down the dark tunnel of Addison Hall to where switchboard was to seek more info. On the way we ran into our friend Rob, who works for Cougar Net and was setting up technical equipment in a conference area when the power disappeared. We tried to lighten the mood by joking with each other by blaming one another for the power outage. Despite the jokes and temporarily raised spirits, we realized the campus was still dark.
Addison Hall was nearly pitch black, small slits of light came from any doors or small windows with the occasional exit sign. We trekked our way in the dark corridor to see switchboard ahead with its emergency light on. It was a small yellow glow in the middle of a very dark chasm in Addison Hall.
“How did this happen?” I asked Brad, “It is such a nice day, what on Earth could have caused this?”
“I don’t know.” Responded Brad, doubtfully.
As we approached switchboard, several school workers were talking, and that is when we found out that the blackout was due to a fallen tree that landed and blew out a transformer within a few block radius of campus.
“A tree fell on a power line just a block or so Northeast of here.” Said one of the workers.
It was with a gut-wrenching feeling when I realized that the University was in the hands of Com Ed. Brad and I looked at each other after hearing the news with even more doubtful expressions.
“So our power supply is in the hands of Com Ed now.” I said to Brad.
“Who the heck knows when campus will have power again.” Brad responded.
It was then when Brad and I left the dark campus and headed home, wondering what would happen. Would other people not have classes the rest of the day? When will our power return? Could it be within hours? Days? We didn’t know.
The hours that followed, emails flooded my phone saying how the power was still off on campus. Classes were cancelled the rest of the day after 3:00. The more the clock ticked, the more I thought of the possibility of the power being out more than a day. My friend and fellow Spectator writer Gretchen texted me as she was still stranded on the dark campus saying how the life has been sucked out of the buildings along with the power. The only noises on campus were the awful generators making a hypnotic motor noise. My other friend Jess texted me saying how she feared for people’s phones; you can’t charge them without power. Things looked bleak.
But then, around the 4:00-5:00 time, I received another email that power was restored and campus was back in business. I was relieved for everyone who was stuck on campus in the dark knowing that things were normal again. That day will always live in my mind as the day Concordia slipped into darkness.
