The 6 Things You Experience When You Think There's A Shooter On Your Campus
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The 6 Things You Experience When You Think There's A Shooter On Your Campus

The one text that you never hope to get

50
The 6 Things You Experience When You Think There's A Shooter On Your Campus
Annika Soderfelt

I want to first and foremost say that this was a false alarm on our campus. A student had suspicions about sounds and called 911. It was frustrating at the time, but it was better to be safe rather than sorry. That being said, for about 30 minutes, we all believed the threat to be VERY real. In those 30 minutes, these are the thoughts and feelings that ran rampant in my mind. These are by NO MEANS the things that every student went through during this time, but, upon talking to my friends, I realized that I wasn't alone. I'm not trying to politicize this nor am I trying to up or down play what occurred. I just am using this as an outlet for what occurred.

Confusion

I was at dinner with my best friend when I noticed the boys at the table next to me abruptly standing up. One of them said something along the lines "Did you see your phone" to the boys next to him, and I didn't think they were friends, so I also randomly decided to pull my phone out and saw the alert. I didn't even know how to react. This was something that I'd seen on the news but never imagined would happen at my school. I didn't even know how to react, which led to my next step...

Fight or Flight

What do we do? My friend and I were in the dining hall, but we were only a few buildings away from our apartment. We jumped back and forth between do we stay put or run for it. Everyone was standing at this point, looking around and also trying to decide what to do. Some were clearly scared and wanting to run, while others seemed extremely agitated about being barricaded into the room. Once the employees had gotten into action, however, doors were locked and no one was allowed to leave, so the next emotion kicked in.

FearĀ 

We were in a dining hall surrounded by windows. My friend and I sat against one of the walls and linked arms. I called my mom, and that was it truly hit me what the situation was. I had to tell her, through tears, that there was a shooter on campus. I wanted the comfort of my family in that moment, but I also wanted to be sure I got to say I love you. (Some dark thoughts, like I said. A scary 30 minutes) I genuinely didn't know what to do with myself in those moments.

Annoyance/Anger

This one was occurring simultaneously with fear. I felt COMPLETELY out of control. I was in a place where I didn't feel safe, and I had NO idea what was going on outside of that room. I wanted to do or know something to be back in control of everything.

Relaxation

The feeling of a weight being lifted was incomparable when we got that all-clear text. For 30 minutes, we had all been so on edge and in the dark, but we were now told we were safe again. Almost immediately, everything fell back into how it is every other day. This weird, unimaginable situation was over, and it was an odd roller coaster of adrenaline.

Fear

This one doesn't occur to me, but I know that a LOT of people did still feel a great deal of fear after the fact. There was a palpable sense of unease the rest of the night. I went for a walk with my friend, and there was almost NO ONE out and about. It was eerily silent. The next day, the counseling center was extremely full, and it was still clearly a concern to many people. Even as I write this, people are still worried about everything that occurred. Even though there was never a true threat, the thought that there could have been was enough to put things into perspective for a lot of people.

Like I said when I started, this isn't wide reaching. This is, for the most part, what I experienced in those 30 minutes. Do with this what you will, but understand that there are certain precautions that could be taken could make all the difference. I am eternally grateful to how Villanova handled everything, and I feel just as safe today as I did a week ago.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

933947
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

110336
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less
New Year Resolutions

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family. What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it.

58842
ā€‹different color birthday candles on a cake
Blacksburg Children's Museum

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments