It seemed like another world — the bright sun, air buzzing over manicured flowers in Prospect Garden. But students hurrying towards Frist Campus Center, cell phones held tightly to ears, eyes focused somewhere in the distance minutes after the World Trade Center collapsed yesterday morning, made clear just how close the disaster was to home.
"I just got through registering for classes and I thought it was one of the most important decisions of my life," said Muhammad Rumi Oodally ’05, who just matriculated to Princeton from Collegiate School in Manhattan. "But then it seemed like everything was irrelevant."
If Oodally's sister — who worked at the World Trade Center — had not returned home for a forgotten wallet before going to her office, she would now be dead, her brother said. By a twist of fate she arrived at work late, and then, instead of heading straight up to the 78th floor, decided to eat breakfast on the first.
"She saw people jump out of windows from 60 stories up," said Rumi, whose sister first called him on an unclear cell phone line from the hospital. She later called to say that she had no physical injuries, but with all of her coworkers dead was not sure how she was going to deal with the emotional trauma.
Until they got through to family and friends, all that anyone could do was watch and wait. More than 100 people gathered around the television in Frist, eyes glued to the news. As the World Trade Center's second tower began to lean there were sighs of disbelief, and when it fell, there were sobs throughout the crowd.
It seemed like everyone knew someone.
"My brother's best friend's father flies planes for American Airlines from Boston," said Nancy Saedi ’03, who then emailed someone at the Red Cross — where she worked this summer — to see if she could provide any help.
Almost as quickly as yesterday's events unfolded, there were groups — student and administrators — gathering to plan and provide support for those affected by the tragedy.
By 10:30 a.m., a student had taped up signs about a noon prayer service in the University Chapel and the Center for Jewish Life, and a Frist Campus Center student worker had put up notices about counseling on the main floor.
As noon approached, people trickled into the nonsectarian Chapel and silently filed into rows. There was an unspoken conversation as some students bowed their heads in quiet thoughts. Others left for small group prayer and dotted the campus with close-knit circles.
"We're just figuring out how to best meet the needs of students, especially freshmen," said Lisa Hess, who was involved in planning the service and sent emails to friends and acquaintances who might have been affected by the crash, offering her time and prayer.
Counselors at the McCosh Health Center met throughout the day to discuss their plans for the next three days. The counselors, who will be available 24 hours a day, compiled guidelines for all University staff, administrators and student leaders on how to deal with those who need help, but also stressed the individuality of each person's trauma.
"At the moment we haven't seen many students," Marvin Geller, the director of McCosh, said yesterday afternoon, "but I think right now people are in shock and it's important they're watching TV together."
Geller said that when more students begin to show up, counselors will have to "work with students depending on their response."
But one of the greatest sources of comfort was that which was unorganized. People could be seen all over campus offering hugs, and students with family or friends in New York sat down at their computers to a barrage of emails inquiring into the safety of their loved ones.
"I twisted my ankle when I ran to [a friend's room] to give him a hug," said Oodaaly, who himself had friends coming into his dorm room throughout the day.
And at last night's vigil in McCosh courtyard, the slow crescendo from one lone voice to an entire audience of people singing "We Shall Overcome" as they put arms around one another helped the hand-held candles keep light in a dimming sky.
A version of this article originally appeared in print on Sept. 12, 2001.
For more coverage commemorating the 10th anniversary of 9/11, please click here.
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