THREAD: Every year on this date, I think of the events of that day and subsequent week I spent grieving with friends with no one on campus. I think of the Dubowski, Garcia, Gehant, Mace and Parmenter families. I think of the feeling of the 1st event on campus with students back.

I think of everyone trying to make the rest of the semester make sense or feel anything close to normal. I think of the (maybe foolish) feeling of safety on a college campus being gone. I think of all of us hoping that our trauma would help inspire change.

One of the worst parts about the aftermath of the shooting at NIU, was the lack of change (outside of campus). Now, NIU isn't the only school shooting on this date; On the 10th anniversary of the NIU shooting (2018), 17 were killed at Stoneman Douglas HS.

Now I add on this date thinking about high school students having to go through the same process we did. I think about that innocence and safety in school being taken away before college, before you're even "on your own." I think about the families of the victims.

IDK if there's a greater meaning to this thread than I hate these events happened & it's so much worse for many beyond me, I was lucky. So to everyone that this date hits different for, I'm with you and make today the best today for you.