Our view

And there they were.

“Deadliest shooting in U.S. history.”

“… a tragedy of monumental proportions.”

33 dead.

It was eerie being on any college campus yesterday. The news of the tragedy we watched unfold on our television screens at Virginia Tech created a cloud of uneasiness and sadness that hung steadily over our heads the entire day.

And here we are.

It’s easy to get caught up in the comfort of our daily lives. By no means is there anything wrong with that, but yesterday we seasoned something else.

It was like running into the brick wall of reality — human struggle, human pain.

The wind bit at us a little sharper. Food tasted a little more bitter. Voices sounded a little more sharp. Hugs felt a little more sweet.

We saw images of Norris Hall surrounded by policemen and camera crews before we headed to Bowman Hall. We saw a campus in peril as we drudged through the cold on ours.

As their faces flash on the news we see our brothers, sisters, moms, dads, classmates, friends, roommates, professors, boyfriends, girlfriends — those who mean the most to us.

Like one University of Miami student said, “Today we are all Hokies.”

Today we all see Chicago maroon and burnt orange.

Today we all feel human.

And with them our hearts will be.

“Forget any and all college affiliations today. For today, we are all Hokies.” — Russell Denney | University of Miami student