On Friday, November 2nd, 2018, Tallahassee, Florida experienced a tragic event that left everybody in our community speechless.

A gunman opened fire inside of a local yoga studio, injuring five people and killing two. The two women who lost their lives were affiliated with Florida State University. My university.

Earlier that week on Tuesday, October 30^th, 2018, there was a domestic shooting just down the street from my apartment complex. My apartment complex is located a short distance of two streets away from the FSU main campus. That same night before the shooting, one of my roommates was in the building across the street for a show rehearsal.

Prior to this evening, she would jump at the sound of any loud noise because she feared open fires. Public shootings. Inhumane activities.

That Tuesday night, she heard a loud noise. Then again. And again. They called the police and the police were on their way. Her fear had come to life in front of her eyes. Her fear that many people fear is a reality. No longer was she fearing behind a TV screen or behind the headlines. She was afraid in real life, hiding inside a locked room.

When will it be enough for a change? When will those of higher power realize that everyone is a target in today's society?

Let's arm teachers with guns? No.

The shooter at the Tallahassee yoga studio was a teacher himself.

Imagine an armed teacher is having a bad day, and one of the kid's push him/her to her limits. Easy and quick solution? Gun.

That is not how our society should function. Society can not be steering away from vital yet simplistic human interactions like communication. Communication and understanding of others. Having some sort of empathy.

All these things will make for safer environments.

I want to stop fearing every person I see with a hand in their pocket. I want to stop fearing to step outside of an elevator and expecting to see an individual with a gun pointing my way. I want to stop fearing the lives of my friends, family, acquaintances who just want to live a regular life.

Change needs to come.

Shootings are becoming too much of a trend. A trend that is slowly diminishing in the surprise factor. What else has to happen until we can see a change? How many people have to die?

We can't keep seeing this happen. This is not how things should be.