It is often said that everyone has their own burden to shoulder, their own cross to bear. It seems even more important to keep this in mind in light of the losses and tragedies our campus has experienced over the course of the past year.
In twelve short months, our student body has experienced grief and mourning with shocking frequency. Death and injury have shaken our community, leaving behind questions and a deep sense of sadness. The loss and suffering of classmates, so young, and at the precipice of embarking on their adult lives, full of potential, has weighed heavily on our campus.
College life will be hard sometimes. There will always be classes, meetings, jobs, midterms, and countless other responsibilities. GW students seek out this fulfilling, frenetic routine; we work hard, we are ambitious, and we are motivated. But some days may be overwhelming, and that is when we need each other more than anything else.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that,” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once wrote. Everyone, sometimes, faces darkness; whether it be problems at home, relationship issues, academic difficulty, struggles with physical or mental health, or any other worry that takes an emotional toll. As college students, we are oftentimes at various crossroads in our lives, about to make big decisions that will define our futures, and burdens of great stress are not uncommon. That is why we as a student body should turn to each other. Your friend, your roommate – reach out to them. Trust in them. Confide in them. And be reassured as you do that they have faced their own darkness, but together, you can find the light.We are a campus of 10,000 undergraduate students, and thousands of other graduate and law school students. On a campus so heavily populated, it may seem easy to feel lost, but you are never truly alone. One thing I have witnessed as our student body has experienced these tragedies over the past year is the incredible power of GW students to come together in love and support. We are an exceptional group, bright and young and shining with vitality, and in the face of loss and suffering we have been united. It is with this sense of community that light will come; and if we are welcoming and inclusive of one another, we can make that much of a difference in each other’s lives.
Moving forward, I hope the rapport of our student community grows even stronger. Together we must find the strength to support one another, and seek help if it is needed.
If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out to the University Counseling Center at (202) 994-5300 or go to their website. Another resource is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 1-800-273-8255 or online here.