Emily Garrett | Lessons from Virginia Tech

Last Thursday I finished my second year of classes here at Penn. Although I had been looking forward to being done with class for the past week or two, I was feeling a little nostalgic about being half done with college.

While I wandered down the center of our truly beautiful campus, I happened upon a small gathering of people. They began handing out candles for the vigil they had planned in support of Virginia Tech. I was handed a candle.

I took it all in, observing the students around me and listening to Penn leaders express their grief and sympathy for the friends and families of those who were killed last week. President Amy Gutmann expressed her feeling of loss as "32 losses in our own family."

I've thought about that statement a lot since that night. Maybe I'm being heartless, but I don't share her sentiments.

On April 16, I was obviously very shocked to hear of the shooting at Virginia Tech. I'll admit I was rather shaken by the news. But life will go on relatively unchanged for me and for most of us who are not directly affected by the event.

But, perhaps the Virginia Tech shooting doesn't have to become simply another sad news story among many. Just because I don't feel like I've lost 32 members of my family doesn't mean I can't take something away from this horrible event.

I read about death everyday. The war in Iraq and the violence in Philadelphia keep my news-feed very morbid. However, I'm rarely deeply affected by these stories. I've become desensitized. I tell myself it doesn't really have anything to do with me. I'm not about to find myself under enemy fire and I don't have any dangerous or violent enemies out to get me.

The problem with the Virginia Tech story is that I can't rationalize it. There's no reason it couldn't happen to me here at Penn. The random nature of the killings makes everyone see their friends, family, teachers and themselves in each of the victims. The thought leaves nerves rattled and faith shaken.

But last week it wasn't until after the touching speeches and an emotional musical performance that my eyes began to well. I blew out my candle and turned around. I had been completely unaware that a massive crowd of students had formed behind me.

Out of arbitrary death and tragedy one can either lose faith in humankind or look around and see the amazing crowd of support that is all around. One can dwell on the undeserved loss of life and opportunity or look at their own and be thankful.

As Gani Diwan, president of the Penn Pakistan Society who helped put on the vigil, noted, "The important thing is to remember the victims." But most of us will not be remembering the victims personally and I think it's okay that I don't feel any great personal loss.

However, what tragedies like this can do is remind us that our daily difficulties and frustrations are by far outweighed by our joys and blessings. By keeping Virginia Tech in our thoughts and prayers we can pay homage to those who lost the opportunities that we are so fortunate to have.

Remembering that life is fleeting makes it that much sweeter. And enjoying that sweetness that is all around us is perhaps the best way to commemorate those who have died. Who would have thought that I would be thankful to be studying for finals this week?

Emily Garrett is a College sophomore from Waukon, Iowa. Her e-mail address is garrett@dailypennsylvanian.com . Carpe Di-Em appears on Tuesdays.

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