A storm struck the campus Thursday afternoon, causing minor power outages on the north side of campus with wind speeds topping 55 mph.
Sharon Mitchell, who works for dining services, said she heard about the storm around lunch.
“The school closed around 1 p.m., but we were still working at that time,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said she was told to stay away from windows and quit what she was doing.
“I didn’t know it was going to be that bad,” she said, while standing outside The Union watching the rain. “I just hope it blows over.”
Rapheal Ellis, a freshman graphic design major from Starkville, said while standing in front of Cresswell where he lives that the rain was just another storm. Cresswell Hall did not lose power. “The lights just flickered,” he said.
The residents in Cresswell stayed in the hall for about five minutes, but Ellis said the storm was no big deal. He called it just another “five-minute storm.”
Chelsea Castoria, a freshman broadcasting major from Olive Branch, said she heard of the storm at about 11 a.m.
“At first, I was really wondering how it was going to be,” Castoria said.
Castoria heard that the storm might form into a tornado, and this made her uneasy, she said. “I don’t like tornadoes,” she added.
The storm passed in a matter of minutes, leaving a few tumbled signs, fallen branches and a few hours of darkness on the north side of campus.