Chloe Kennedy: Love for meteorology grew from fear of storms

I can picture the situation. I am around five or six years old. I am just minding my own business, probably watching a Disney movie or coloring, when the Emergency Broadcast System comes on the TV.

This is when panic ensues. Every time that there was severe weather when I was younger, I would freeze in fear. I immediately thought there was a tornado coming straight for my house, even if it was just a thunderstorm watch, and would start begging my parents to let me go to my neighbor’s house that actually had a basement.

My dad, on the other hand, basically ran to the severe weather. This freaked me out even more because I thought he would get hurt standing out on the front porch during a storm. And, of course, my older brother did not help matters, as he would tell me every little rain shower was a “Killer Cell.”

Everyone is afraid of something. Whether you are 5 or 35, all humans fear something. In today’s age, people want to feel safe, a completely understandable mindset, but this often curbs a person’s desire to challenge their fears.

While I grew up mainly petrified by severe weather, my dad was the complete opposite. He could not wait for the next storm. It was such a confusing concept to me. However, I finally pushed away my fears and decided I was not going to let this anxiety continue on. So, instead of hiding in a corner, I spent my time tracking storms with my dad and re-watching the movie "Twister" about 200 times.

Instead of being scared, I sought to turn this fear into passion. I plan on pursuing a career in meteorology. This has been my number one dream ever since I overcame my uneasiness about weather. Now, when it is storming, I am standing right alongside my dad on the front porch, counting the seconds between the strikes of lightning and claps of thunder. 

Confronting my fear has opened numerous doors for me. From extracurricular events to grant opportunities, abolishing my anxiety has allowed to me explore my interests and determine what I want to pursue in my future. I remember the feeling of terror when a storm was coming. I remember it like it was just yesterday. And now, I feel the same way my dad does when a storm is coming. 

Meteorology is a remarkable love of mine that extends to its labor-intensive math equations, expansive vocabulary, and stunning maps. The presence of the unknown in weather systems has always enticed me and holds an abundance of my respect. It’s truly incredible that my number one passion materialized from my number one fear.