A Tar Heel experience
Alexandria Shealy, Daily Tar Heel Staff Writer
April 17, 2007
Between the four of us, three reporters and one photojournalist from The Daily Tar Heel, we had less than an hour to make the decision to travel to Blacksburg this morning. Jessica Schonberg, one of our senior writers, even forgot her driver's license.
Timothy Reese, our photographer, who accompanied me around Virginia Tech's campus Monday evening, had to purchase an extra flash card an hour into our drive to Virginia. When we arrived, catching the tail end of Monday's first press conference, the situation on campus seemed to just be settling in the minds of students and community members alike.
As an outsider who descended on such an unsettling event at a sensitive time for so many people, I was struck by many Virginia Tech students' deep sense of community only hours after the fatal shootings occurred.
"Everyone around here is a Hokie," Max McCall, a freshman I encountered who was willing to talk with me about the events.
"It's already impacting everyone."
Despite the strong winds and excessive cold (by my North Carolina standards), Virginia Tech students were quick to rally support for the victims.
By chance, Timothy and I were outside the War Memorial Chapel when a vigil seemed to come together out of nowhere.
I was struck by the words of the ROTC members who appeared to have started the vigil, which resonated in many of the students who showed support to their peers. This was beside the fact none of the names for the victims had been released.
"We're still in shock," said Nancy Morgan, a freshman at the vigil.
"You don't know who is safe and who is not, but it's important to come together in a time like this."
It's extremely difficult to enter a situation like this without knowledge of the area or any idea where to find those willing to talk about the events.
Although many students did agree to speak with us about what had happened, there were more who chose not to.
Even more difficult was our lack of knowledge of where students congregate at all, where the buildings in which the shootings occurred were located and how to convey sympathies to a community that has suffered an incredible tragedy.
From my point of view, it's been easy to realize that something like this could happen on any campus, many VA Tech students agreed.
"I think this is something other colleges will learn from," Nancy said. "It could happen anywhere."
As I observed so many students chanting "let's go Hokies!" to support the victims of Monday's attacks, I hoped that other colleges, namely my own, will soon join in the rallying for the entire Blacksburg community during this time.