"I Want the Hokies to Bounce Back"

Monday's frigid cold gave way to blue skies and warmer temperatures across Blacksburg today, as parents converged on campus to collect their sons and daughters and other students opted to stay behind.

"There is a lot of people on the campus right now, but there's definitely a tension and an eerie feeling in the air," said Jeremiah John-Richard Townley, a junior from Virginia Beach.

Signs across Virginia Tech's campus noted that most facilities were closed Tuesday, but a slow stream of people trickled in and out of the dining area at Squires Student Center. Townley and his longtime friend from back home, Edward Stolle, stopped at the center for pizza before heading across campus to attend the convocation at Cassell Coliseum.

Yesterday, Townley said he was about to get off the bus that takes him to a 10 a.m. class near Norris Hall when police officers waving guns screamed for students to get back on the bus. Townley was able to reach Stolle, who checked his e-mail for information. They both had friends in Norris.

"That was the scary part," Stolle said. "As soon as it went down, phone lines were going off the hook, the servers were busy and sometimes you couldn't get in touch with someone."

Though it was difficult to get information at first, Stolle and Townley soon learned that their friends were safe and gathered off campus to watch the news. On Tuesday afternoon, they expressed shock and sadness at the rampage, but remained optimistic about the university community. Neither wanted to go home.

"I'm just looking forward to getting more facts and getting this whole thing figured out and bouncing back from it," Townley said. His friend nodded in agreement.

"I want the Hokies to bounce back from this, and I know the Hokies can," Stolle said.

--Amanda Zamora, washingtonpost.com

By Liz Heron |  April 17, 2007; 5:30 PM ET  | Category:  Dispatches from Blacksburg
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