Today, deadly shootings rocked the campuses of Texas Southern University and Northern Arizona University. This is coming just a little over a week after the 45th school shooting in the United States this year that occurred at Umpqua Community College, a spree which left nine people and the gunman dead.
Since the horrifying massacre at Sandy Hook in 2012 that left 20 children and six adults dead, there have been 140+ school shootings in our country, and it seems nothing is being done to stop them. Regardless of how true this statement is, it feels almost impossible to not live in fear in our country – especially as a college student.
Mourners gather at candlelight vigil for those killed at Umpqua Community College
Photo Source: AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli
When there is a Wikipedia page entitled, “List of school shootings in the United States,” how can you feel safe? Whether we consciously think of it on a regular basis or not, college students across America are wondering when it will hit their campus next. Because, quite frankly, these shootings can happen anywhere. And at any time.
There is quite obviously a problem in our country. It’s a big one, and it seems many people want to fix it, yet no one knows the one solution that is the end-all be-all. But here’s the thing: College students are worried.
We are worried that it could happen at our friend’s school. At our sister’s. At our brother’s. At our co-worker’s. At ours. This isn’t right.
Today, I am saying that I refuse to let these shootings take over my life. I refuse to be constantly scared. I refuse to only half-live my life because I’m in fear. I refuse to walk to class every day wondering if today will be the day. And I refuse to let these shooters take over another person’s life in the form of control through fear and terror.
There is no telling what will happen tomorrow, and there is no 100 percent way of knowing if something like this will happen at my school. I pray it never will. But even if it does and I do have a limited number of days left (morbid, I know), would I really want to have spent that time fretting over the potential of a gunman on campus?
I implore those who are in charge of our country’s government to figure out a solution before we lose more lives. Something needs to change. Enough is enough. Yet I also hope that we can each choose to live a life free of fear, because letting this fear control us is letting the gunmen who choose to ravage our campuses win.
Living in fear isn’t truly living at all. I hope my fellow college students choose to live.Â
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt