On Nov. 13 tragedy struck Paris, France. Terror, confusion, and grief permeated throughout the streets of the city as innocent people were brutally murdered by members of the terrorist group ISIS. It did not take long for knowledge of these events to reach the U.S. As a long-time ally of France, Americans have offered support and condolences to those affected.

Just a few days later, on Monday, Nov. 16, the news announced that ISIS released a video threatening to attack Washington, DC. Currently, this is not considered a ‘credible’ threat, but it is a threat nonetheless.

Let us not forget that there are many people in the world who are more vulnerable to threats of terror or are familiar with daily fear of an attack on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. I do not want to detract attention away from those people or say that the situation of DC residents compares to their lives because most of us will never know what it’s like to live in constant fear.

However, after the news of the ISIS threats has been released, fear, nervousness, or even just slight apprehension is natural and should not be diminished, as long as we don’t forget to recognize that we aren’t the only ones feeling vulnerable.

Honestly, as a student of GW, which is located a few blocks from the White House, Capitol Hill and a short metro ride from the Pentagon, I’m a little nervous.

My earliest, most vivid memories are of 9/11. I lived in Brooklyn, New York at the time and remember sitting in the classroom waiting for my mom to pick me up as my teacher left the room crying (later I would learn she had a daughter that was killed in World Trade Center). I remember standing in my living room in front of the TV and having the realization that something was terribly wrong as I watched the news display a bird’s-eye view of still bodies strewn on the street.

The last thing we want is for a tragedy to occur in the U.S. capital like it did during 9/11, or more recently in Paris.

It might feel like there’s not much we can do about the threats released, but what is in our control is how we conduct our day-to-day lives.

Going to class, doing homework, watching Netflix, spending time with friends are all ordinary actions but significant distractions.

It’s crucial to focus on the positive aspects of D.C. I’m not going to stop visiting the National Monuments, museums, farmer’s markets, and the Georgetown Waterfront- after all, the location of GW is its selling point.

Considering our proximity to Capitol Hill, expressing support for what we believe in and protesting what we don’t can be particularly effective. At this time, we can heighten our awareness of the government’s treatment of Islamic people and concern ourselves with our own treatment of the religion.

Respecting all people, regardless of their race or religion, is more important than ever, following the attack in Paris and the threats. People of Middle Eastern descent and Muslims are not all terrorists, just like white southern Christians are not all members of the KKK.

We aren’t living in the most peaceful of times, so being nervous is natural, but we can’t just drop everything and mope. We can’t ask for extensions on papers because we stayed up all night obsessively researching ISIS’ past attacks or be a passive bystander to a Muslim peer being racially profiled.

I believe we should all live our lives as humanely and as normally as possible in spite of this inhumane and chaotic world.