Youth Opinion : ‘Those Aftershocks, I Wish They Would Stop’

MICHELLE NIELSON

Sepulveda Magnet School student, 11, Canoga Park

I lost a lot of things in this earthquake. The one thing that came out of this is that the most important thing is my family. When it started, I woke up, and when I tried to get my brother, he was shaking and couldn’t move. My mom got us. My dad was holding up these bookshelves because if he hadn’t, they would have fallen on my mom. He was pretty calm. He had the flashlight and turned off the gas. Before this earthquake, I thought I was prepared. You hear about it at school and on TV so you think, “It won’t happen to me.” Well it did, and I don’t think I was ready. I don’t think anybody is really ready. It’s OK now. Sleep is getting easier. But those aftershocks, I wish they would stop.

REANNA SAN MARTIN

West Valley Christian School student, 10, West Hills

When the earthquake hit, I thought I was dreaming. But when I realized we were in an earthquake, I started to panic. I kept thinking about my family and friends. I’m still having trouble sleeping because those aftershocks are really bothering me. I want to leave. I want to live somewhere where there aren’t earthquakes. I don’t know, I guess I wasn’t prepared. Next time, I’ll have a flashlight and control myself.

CODY CANNON

Capo Bay Elementary School student, 6, Northridge

I was a little bit scared. I ran into the hall and my mom grabbed me. We’re sleeping in a tent on our front lawn, and I like that. I’m not too scared. I’ve been sleeping good. Only when it starts to shake, I get a little scared. But I’m OK.

The Quake From Older Perspectives

HEATHER PATTERSON

Chatsworth High School senior, 16

The quake really scared me. My first concern was that my family was OK. We have a lot of relatives in the Midwest. I was worried how much they were going to worry about us because we had no way of getting in touch with them. Then, when I saw all our plates were on the floor in the kitchen and how we hardly had any dishes left, I realized it was going to be kind of tough for awhile.

Not being able to take a shower made me realize how important are the normal things you take for granted. We went over to some friends and were able to shower. I’ve never felt so clean.

I think how important it is that my friends, my family and my dogs are OK. I’m happy my school’s OK because we won’t have to be transferred and things will get back to normal.

I’m a person who saves a lot of things. I have all my school work from seventh grade. I was looking in my closet that was totally destroyed and realized that things I used to think were important aren’t really necessities.

JAMES M. NAU

Cal State Northridge senior, 23, Van Nuys

After everything calmed down, everybody looked at the physical damage at the house. Luckily everybody in my house and my friends escaped uninjured except for minor cuts and bruises.

I knew two of the people who were rescued from that housing project that collapsed. That was pretty frightening because it hits home to think that somebody you’ve been in school with, whom you’ve run track with, could be gone in a split second.

TRINA L. CALDERON

Pasadena Community College junior, 19, Sunland

I’ve been studying geology at school so an earthquake to me was really exciting and I wasn’t as scared and frantic as a lot of people. I was doubly glad that I had stressed to my family to make sure we had water and an earthquake kit.

I’ve been planning to move to Hawaii lately and I’m much more prone to getting out of here now. I’ve survived this one but I don’t want to be here for the Big One.

The earthquake put a lot of other things in perspective. I have a very big family that doesn’t talk very much and we’re spread out over the San Fernando Valley. Boy, did we get the network going real quick. In a way it brought the family closer together.

PATTY FITZSIMMONS

Cal State Northridge senior, 22, Canoga Park

It was the most terrifying thing that I’ve ever experienced in my life. I honestly thought I could die right there and there was nothing I could do. So I tried to be calm about it.

Afterward, I helped some friends whose home had been damaged. It was a good experience to share, helping clean things up. I want to help with other things in the future. There are lots of things, especially in L.A., that you can help with.

JEROME JOSEPH

Chatsworth High School sophomore, 15, Lakeview Terrace

I believe in God, so I understand what He’s doing--just giving the world a reality check. People really calmed down. Basically, they were scared and worried about if any other thing was going to happen. They slowed their lives down and took time to spend with their families. It’s something people usually don’t do.