I’m currently a freshman at the Savannah College of Art and Design, and recently my life was turned upside down by an unexpected fire and flooding incident in my dorm. While I was away for a funeral, I got a call from my aunt telling me there had been a fire at my school. Soon after, I started getting calls and messages from friends saying there may have also been flooding, and that students weren’t being allowed back inside. The fire started on my floor, which has now been identified as one of the most impacted. Since then, everything has felt overwhelming. I haven’t been able to return to my room, and I’ve been told that anything that isn’t a hard surface has to be thrown away and is considered unsafe to keep due to contamination from smoke, chemicals, and water. This means Ill be losing all of my clothes, bedding, and personal items. As a freshman, I had just started building my life here, and now I’m facing the reality of starting over with almost nothing. I don’t have renters insurance, which makes this even more difficult, as I don’t have financial support to replace what I’ve lost. This experience has been incredibly traumatic, and I’m currently trying to figure out my next steps replacing clothes, essentials, and continuing my education without falling behind. Any support would truly mean everything to me during this time. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for any help you can offer.