Lingering Worries

By Joe Kendall

I don't remember much of what happened on April 16, 2007. For me, the day is a muddled mess of blurred thoughts and exhaustion. I do remember that it was the worst day of my life, and in the coming days, it will be an emotional struggle to once again confront the terrible events that took place almost a year ago.

Before the ramp up to the first anniversary, April 16 had floated to the back of many students' minds, mine included. Though reminders are everywhere, from stickers on cars to the now-permanent memorial on the Drillfield, the shootings had ceased to be a part of everyday life. In a year's time, there has not been an issue of The Collegiate Times that hasn't referenced April 16, but concern over the shootings has become of tertiary importance to other things, such as tests, work and maintaining a social life. However, in the past few days, April 16 has been once again pushed to the forefront, and its reemergence is cause for a great deal of worry.

I'm worried that protesters may disturb and politicize what ought to be a day of solemnity and remembrance. I'm worried that students, many of whom became disenchanted with journalists during the media blitzkrieg last year, will become hostile toward reporters; and that reporters, not knowing the contempt some students hold for them, will become frustrated and hawkish when they face a student body that may be less than cooperative. But I'm mostly worried that many students will encounter traumatic memories that they haven't confronted in some time.

April 16 will be a day of terrible sadness for all of us at Virginia Tech, but it also affords us the chance to memorialize the members of the Blacksburg community that we lost that day.

By Amy L. Kovac |  April 13, 2008; 9:00 AM ET  | Category:  Joe Kendall
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