Norris Hall

by Johnna Duncan, staff photographer

Unexpected Atmosphere

As we arrived here at VT, I was expecting to see sadness on everyone’s faces and people willing to share their stories. What we found is that most people appear to be fine and have moved on, and they feel that we should do the same. At the entrance to the campus there are student-made signs that say that the media is not welcome.

As we walked around the VT campus we came upon Norris Hall, where the shootings had occurred in a year before. The students we saw coming out of the building didn’t seem to be fazed at all. As I walked through the walkway of Norris Hall I expected to feel sad but I didn’t. Maybe the mood of the campus affected me in a way that said all was alright now.

—Johnna Duncan, photographer

Media Overload

For the next several hours, we walked around attempting to navigate our way around the massive campus.

As we approached Norris Hall (where many of the shootings took place), we all became quiet and were shocked to see classes going on inside the building. However, we were not allowed to enter.

During the walk around campus, we worked on getting as many interviews, video clips, and photographs as possible. However, I personally found it very, very difficult to get interviews. I would ask everyone in sight and it was almost as if they rehearsed their answers in advance for what they would say to me as they saw me approach, obviously about to ask for an interview.

Whether this was due to being burnt out on interviews, understandably resenting the media’s takeover of their campus, or simply wanting to forgo rehashing the incident: it was difficult. But, some people were very eager to share their experiences and it was extremely interesting to hear what they had to say about that fateful day.

-Liz Segrist, Assistant News Editor

A Year Later

Being at Virginia Tech is somewhat overwhelming. Everyone seems to be fine. I don’t know what I was expecting–everyone to be emotional wrecks after a year? The students I have spoken with insist they’re fine and that they feel safe on their stunningly beautiful campus. One student actually told he’d like for everyone outside of Virginia Tech to know that they are ok. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through something like and then have others bring it up continually.

I feel silly thinking that we would get here and everyone would still be moping around like the tragedy was last week. It’s encouraging, though, that people have moved on and healed somewhat.

-Katie Jones, staff writer

First Impressions

Our team arrived on the Virginia Tech campus around 2 p.m. today. We retrieved our media credentials and set off on foot, obviously sticking out from the crowd with our notepads and video cameras. On a day like today, you would never guess that tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of the massacre that took place on this seemingly peaceful campus. As we walk around the campus, we are encompassed by the beauty of the largeness of it with scattered brick buildings every block and students in a hurry to get to class. Media is beginning to flood in and police officers are patrolling the campus everywhere. Honestly, it seems like any other campus, students and faculty just going on about their everyday lives despite tomorrow looming over everyone.

-Liz Segrist, Assistant News Editor