When Tragedy Strikes

Today, as I am sitting on campus at Virginia Tech, my heart goes out to the students, staff, faculty, and friends of Ohio State University with the scary and sad events that occurred today. While I was not a student at VT during the tragic day of April 16, 2007, I was a graduate student at another university. As students, we are all connected in some way; it is very much our family. As a student at VT today, we remember and have programs and systems in place. We will not forget what happened. It is still something that is talked about, felt, and mourned.

It was comforting to hear that the OSU student notification system was working and did a good job of sending out that safety warning. As I type this, sitting only a few hundred yards away from the memorial of the people who died at VT in 2007, I have gratitude that others have learned from the tragedy from VT and other schools who have had these critical incidents. Because of the tragic events in the past, there are safety systems, notification systems, and thoughts put into maintaining the safety of those who are on campuses around the country – and hopefully around the world.

As a counselor, I feel deeply for those who were impacted in today’s events. There are so many people that were impacted and not just the ones who received a physical injury. I hope for healing for the injured and healing for those hurting. Please be aware of the ambiguous injuries that others may have experienced. Having the violation of feeling safe in classrooms, on campus, or at work can cause problems too. Ask if others are ok, seek counseling if you need it, and know that there are places you can go for assistance.

My thoughts and prayers are with the people of OSU and their community. Be safe out there everyone.