The clouds broke and the angels cried
You ain’t gotta walk alone
That’s why he put me in your way
It came upon me wave on wave
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This is a song by Pat Green, and it reminds me of what it’s like to be at the third week mark. After hearing from psychologists and students alike, it seems that the emotions can come as waves, resounding through each person at different times.
I have to agree with them.
As the project that we’re working on continues I see now that it will not be an easy road to completion and I see bad days like I’m having right now will happen again. It isn’t easy for anyone.
Personally the book is helping me. I feel like in some way by working with this great group of people I am giving back to the Hokie Nation that has been there for me. It also helps because some of the people that are on the team were with me when everything happened that awful morning.
There is a condition called Delayed Stress and we’ve all heard the term Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I think we’ve yet to see the full magnitude of these conditions reach the surface. Graduation is in three days and I think that after that event takes place, more seniors will finally feel the full effects of what has happened.
So many people have been able to focus on just graduating, making it till then. After four or more years here, they deserve it by all means. After, where do they have to turn for a distraction? I worry for these soon to be Alumni because I know that I am experiencing huge rushes of emotion at different times.
We spoke to one student who lived with Cho yesterday. He was so calm and told us he had been able to talk to a lot of media sources with no problems because he felt he was helping with people’s questions. Very noble, and I respect him very much…but as we were talking I noticed his hands shaking. Not every once in awhile, but during the entire interview. Now, he might have just been nervous about everything that has happened, but I was concerned as a fellow Hokie.
Please, if you are experiencing certain emotions and need to talk to someone, do not hesitate to talk to someone. There is still counseling being conducted at Cook’s and many professors and students remain on campus. We were all here, and we all suffered. You do not have to be alone.
Cook Counseling’s web address is below:
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/defaulta.htm
They still have emergency services available, and even group counseling sessions are forming. They also have a guide for identifying and referring a distressed student in case you or a friend may not know what to look for.
