Column: Community of Hokies
Dan Hemp, CT Regular Columnist
April 25, 2007
Normally, this page is full of dissenting opinions on every topic from sports to politics. So many issues have been discussed, and sometimes things even get a little heated. However, the events of last week--if anything good could come out of them--have shown us that when tested, our community can come together and overcome adversity as well as any other place on Earth.
We share something special together--we are all Hokies. It doesn't matter what that means or what other people think it might mean. In truth, it represents how we as a student body are united behind a force of community so powerful that people from around the world have offered their sympathy for what we went through.
Last week was certainly a trying time for all of us. But as we somehow seek to return to normalcy, let us not forget that 26,000 of our fellow Hokies are struggling with the same confusion and disbelief that we are encountering. We know that if we need to talk to someone who understands our pain, the best place to find that person is right here at Virginia Tech.
At some point, the campus will eventually return to being the untouchable safe haven that we knew it to be two weeks ago. But undoubtedly, that will take time. Until then, we will have to comfort each other and let each other know how proud we are to be a part of the Hokie Nation.
To those who are considering transferring to other schools, I can understand how horrible it must be to have to make that decision because of something like this. But personally, because of how proud I am of my fellow students and because of what we went through together as members of this community, I would never think of leaving this school. After last week, we experienced events together that we will never forget. And honestly, I wouldn't want to depart from this amazing group of people and this beautiful campus.
As a junior, it's easy for me to have unconditional affection for this school and its people. But for a freshman or sophomore, the bond may not be quite as strong. However, I would hope that the events of last week have shown these students just how unique of a place our school is. Clearly, we are lucky to attend such a distinct and exceptional institution.
To prospective students, all I can say is that our university is a special place, and it will not be defined by what happened last week. Instead, the people here who showed enormous courage and resilience through this difficult time will symbolize what it means to be a Hokie.
If anything, last week we discovered how remarkable our fellow students are and how powerful it is to be a member of the Virginia Tech community. Even now, people still have us in their prayers and are thinking of how we are doing. So as we move on, let us appreciate life a little more, cherish our precious moments a little more and reflect on just how wonderful it is to be a Hokie.