March 2 is a day that will forever be a part of my life. I was sleeping in because I didnt have class until 9. My cell phone rings.. and rings.. Me, being a "college student" wanted all the sleep I could get, didnt answer it. The last day before Spring Break was supposed to be a quick one. Who knew that I was going to seem like days before I went home. I check my voicemail before my alarm went off because I was afraid that I wasnt going to have a ride home. I was worried more about myself than anything else. What was I going to do? It was then when I learned about the accident. That is when I realized that this campus was forever going to be changed.
Media swarmed the Bluffton area and students became confused. A Bus? Baseball? what was happening?
One day before break the worst happened and I couldnt do anything about it. My tests were cancelled and my ride wasnt coming until 3. I waited for hours.. hours.. until I could go home.. get away from this pain. Every channel in the dorms were tuned in on the news and every eye was wet. Now looking back on it.. that day was a time for emotions.. and they very much got the best of me.
Coming back to a place where such a tragedy happened is yet another emotional roller coaster. Bluffton being as small as it is, has a lot of spirit. Personally this was the first time i didnt want to come back to Bluffton. It isnt the campus that I didnt want to see nor my friends.. it was the tragedy that I didnt want to accept. My transition was very smoothly though. Driving into campus I saw purple ribbons, well wishes, and prayers that were posted everywhere. This was something that helped me get through my day.
Is it hard? Yes. I walk across campus and see faces of sorrow, I see a memorial within our commons, and a prayer room that is always open. This shouldnt happen to anyone, but I know that Bluffton can handle it. Is it something that we should have to handle.. no, but we do. I am relying on friends, family, and this campus to comeback from this event. It is something that will forever be remembered. Something that has taken 7 lives and left marks, but now we must come together and fight back. We need to work as a community to mourn together. That is what Bluffton does.. it mourns together, celebrates together and hurts together. And I get to be a part of this togetherness. This is what i love.
