Fond memories

It goes without saying that this has been a traumatic and heart-wrenching week for everyone. Those of you who know me know that some of the best years of my life were spent in Blacksburg. What saddens me the most about this event is obviously the completely senseless and tragic loss of lives, but it also saddens me to know that this is how people will remember my alma mater. After all, no one ever wonders about this year's Valedictorian at Columbine, or who won teacher of the year, or how the football team is doing. Everyone associates Columbine with a single, tragic, senseless event, and I'm afraid the same thing will happen to a place I love and called home for five years. I told one of my friends about this, and she urged me to tell people how I feel. This is the only place I could think of to do it.

Virginia Tech is the kind of place that welcomes you, despite its huge size. Everyone feels like family. On a campus of 25,000, I constantly found myself running into someone who grew up in my neighborhood, or the girl I sat next to in the 3rd grade and hadn't seen since. I could always find someone to eat dinner with me... and breakfast, and lunch, and coffee and ice cream at Deet's Place in between. (At Virginia Tech, you don't gain the Freshman 15. You gain the Freshman 50. Or so.) Even four years after I left, I occasionally run into a fellow Hokie (they're pretty rare up here) and have an instant bond with them. There is a sense of pride, even among people who left the campus years ago.

You haven't seen loyal until you've seen a Hokie Fan. The campus, except for Lane Stadium, is always a ghost town during football games, and there's never an empty seat. You celebrate victories with everyone sitting near you, whether you know them or not.

Finally, Virginia Tech introduced me to so many wonderful people, including my husband Eric. We fell in love and planned our lives together while living in Blacksburg, and we will always remember our time there- especially the class we took together. (If you want a conflict-free relationship, I don't recommend it.)

I hope everyone will remember the wonderful things about Virginia Tech and not just the acts of one very troubled person. In memory of those who died, wear maroon and orange tomorrow (April 20).

Thanks to my friends Emily and Heath- they attended the candlelight vigil and took the picture above.