We Are Virginia Tech

As most of you know, I am a student here at Virginia Tech, and if you've seen the news, you will know what my morning has been like. I got a VT Alert (via email and text message) around 9 this morning with notice that there was a gunman seen on campus. Normally on Thursdays I am on campus, but I worked a full day yesterday and took today off in order to pack to go home and get ready for Canada next week.  Thank goodness for that, because, as expected, my phone has been blowing up. I feel like this was just a minuscule taste of what April 16, 2007 was like.

I was a senior in high school in 2007, and I remember April 16 like it was yesterday. We weren't supposed to have cell phones in school, but someone in my class did, and we immediately pulled up a news website and started watching what was happening. I immediately got upset. I knew many people at Virginia Tech, and to me I relate Virginia Tech to my family. Most of our family "vacations" ended up in Blacksburg at some point, and I have been attending Hokie football games since I could walk. I was absolutely devastated then, and now I realize a little bit of how scary that day was.

Virginia Tech has my heart. Those of you that have been a part of a university that is as wonderful as Tech can probably relate to what I'm saying. Just like the trees destroyed at Auburn or the damage done at the University of Alabama this year, those of you that were a part of those universities probably felt your heart breaking (I'm not saying the death of people should be related to the destruction of trees, but just relating feeling for your university). 

I'm not entirely sure of what I'm trying to say, other than I love my university. I love this school and the memories it holds. And I hate that most people relate this amazing place with such a tragedy. We prevailed, we have overcome, and we still remember those lost. But there is so much more than just the images from that day. We are Saturdays (and Thursday nights) in Lane stadium kicking butt. We are winter days across the drillfield when you can feel your bones shiver from the wind tunnel created. We are class ring reveal and orange and maroon and lectures in Torg. We are the corps of cadets, War Memorial Chapel and Oak Lane greek life. We are the hokie pokey and TOTS Tuesdays. We are the biggest college Relay for Life. We are Virginia Tech. And I am so glad I am Hokie.