Encouraging words for students
CT Features Staff
April 19, 2007
At a time when it's easy to feel alone and isolated, walking around campus reminds the Virginia Tech community that the country is supporting us with thoughts, prayers and words. Squires Student Center appears normal until you walk into the doors of any entrance, which are filled with posters, printed e-mails and flower arrangements. Radford University showed their Hokie love by sending orange posters covered in notes and signatures of every color that are now posted outside Colonial Hall and Commonwealth Ballroom on the second floor.
"Stay strong and hopeful. You all will remain in our thoughts and prayers," reads one of the posters. "VT, we love you! Praying for you always," reads another.
"VCU Expressions for VT," Virginia Commonwealth's signature-covered poster had no white space to be found. "Stay strong, stick together!" a poster reminds, "You're in our thoughts and prayers."
Walking down to the Alumni Mall entrance, posters from the University of North Carolina reaffirms that "VT is not alone." Also on the same board are dozens of e-mails from college staff and students from local neighbors, such as James Madison University and, from across the world, including South Africa, Canada, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
While the Drillfield is normally filled with students racing to class and talking on cell phones, it is now filled with silence. Trees that blossom in spring promising warm weather now have black, maroon and orange strips of cloth tied around their trunks. Near War Memorial Chapel is a small makeshift memorial with a collection of candles, flowers, signatures and cards. One small poster reads "In deep memory of Professor Kevin Granata."
Two maroon and white tents punctuate the stillness, each housing eight boards covered in black signatures and messages. "Together we stand, united we fall," stood out on one board written in orange ink. Students, Blacksburg residents and families slowly encircle the boards soaking in every message. Thirty-two pieces of Hokie stone sit in a horseshoe around the podium at the head of the Drillfield, representing the 32 victims. Each stone is topped with flowers and a Virginia Tech pennant. More flowers rest around the stones, bringing a small piece of life to such a dark moment.
However, not every poster around campus sends a message of sorrow. A neon orange one posted on the front of Patton Hall reads "Hokie Nation Needs to Heal. Media Stay Away."
Anywhere on campus, you aren't far from a physical representation of the emotions felt in Blacksburg. Whether writing a message, lighting a candle or simply reading the words of others, this campus' heart beats with Hokie pride. The lights of Tuesday night's vigil will not be extinguished as these memorials continue to grow, reminding the community of Nikki Giovanni's message that "We are Virginia Tech."