This is my interview with freshman Marshea Crisler. She lives off campus in the South Jackson area.  

SL: How were you impacted by the ice storm?  

MC: As a local, the biggest impact by the ice storm was the loss of water and lack of clean water. Me and my family had gone days without clean water for showering, drinking, and cooking. Traveling was also an issue because of the icy roads making it difficult to drive. It was a challenge making up missed classes as well as missed assignments. 

SL: From your perspective, what was going on?  

MC: Mississippi experienced a winter blast, which left Mississippians unprepared and ill-equipped to handle a weeklong storm of snow and ice. Considering the road condition and loss of water, the campus was forced to close until further notice, and students were required to learn virtually. 

SL: Do you have any experiences that you would like to share?  

MC: During and after the weeklong storm, I was stressed because of the many make-up assignments as well as the lack of clean water to shower. 

SL: Do you feel that more could have been done to prevent water/electricity loss in Jackson? 

MC:  Yes, I believe city leadership should have weatherized the water treatment plant prior to the artic blast storm which would have alleviated the pipes bursting all over the city. Also, homeowners should have pruned their trees to ensure the power lines were free from hanging or broken limbs. 

SL: Did you hear what living conditions were like on campus? If so, what were some of your reactions?  

MC: Reading multiple emails from the Millsaps news and administration, I saw that students were required to use the porta potties that were set out all over campus. Also, students were notified to stock up on food and water bottles because of the blocked roads and low water pressure. 

I felt genuinely bad for the people that were stuck on campus. Not being able to reach out to local relatives and friends is really unfortunate. Also, I was definitely surprised after hearing that the conditions were so bad, students had to rely on water and food storage. In my opinion, I would have kept the campus closed until the water pressure was officially back to normal.