I was tossing and turning in bed in the wee hours of Tuesday morning when, all of a sudden, my bed started shaking. It was an earthquake. Clocking in at a strong 6.3 on the Richter scale, the earthquake that struck Egypt at 6.26 am Tuesday reportedly originated 561 km northwest of Alexandria at a depth of 32 km. What we felt, however, was a mild tremor.Immediately, I got up and stood in the middle of the hall outside my room, debating whether to scream and wake everyone up or to stay calm and collected until it passes. Staying calm and collected proved to be a challenge, but not waking up my parents was the right decision, for I would have hated anyone to see me in mid-panic. I took the time to breath and collect my thoughts, and I came up with a few ideas to relieve the tension in case of another earthquake.To take the edge off this intense situation, here are a few useful tips:. The moment an earthquake hits, you should drop to the ground, take cover under any piece of furniture, preferably a table, and hold onto it firmly. . If you are outdoors during an earthquake, you should move away from buildings, trees or anything that may fall. . When you are indoors during an earthquake, stay inside until all the shaking stops as most injuries occur when people try to rush out the building.And just because it’s an earthquake, doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it:. While you’re stuck under a table, recall all the funny memories of earthquakes you’ve been through. . If you are in a group and an earthquake starts, ask to see if anyone else feels it. It will release the stress during those few moments, and you can even trick into believing that they are hallucinating.. Guess what it measures on the Richter scale. . Don’t let the moment pass you by without getting rid of that ugly vase your grandma insists on keeping in your living room – it can be conveniently knocked over. (This also applies to breakable pieces of furniture).. If your crush happens to be around, jump in their arms for “protection. You don t have to look back and laugh, you can always laugh in the moment.
What to do during an earthquake
