TRIGGER WARNING: Discussion of gun violence
By Stuti Rao
On November 13, 2022, students at the University of Virginia suffered a heartbreaking calamity at the hands of gun violence. Just three months after the tragedy at UVA, on February 13, 2023, students at Michigan State University suffered a similar experience, some of whom also witnessed prior shootings including those at Sandy Hook Elementary, Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, and Oxford High School. These events are just some examples of the scary reality many Americans face today.
Mass shootings, as defined by the Gun Violence Archive, are events of gun violence where four or more people are shot and/or killed. As mass shootings have increased in the past decade, this already widely debated issue has become an even bigger controversy. This issue has become especially prevalent as 2023 has already experienced 110 shootings and it is only March. While research, statistics, and facts on gun violence are widely available, it is important to hear about gun violence’s effects on students from the students themselves. Considering that these shootings not only affect public areas, but also schools and college campuses across the country, I interviewed three college students to understand how they have been impacted by gun violence.
How aware of/in tune are you with news regarding recent events relating to gun use and safety on campuses in the US?
Eris Madachy, a student at Towson University, Maryland, stated, “I do try to keep up with the news. It’s a balance between keeping up with what’s going on in the news and not feeling completely hopeless…”. Madachy also said, “the news hasn’t done the best job of covering what’s happening…I’ve learned a lot more from people posting about it.”
Would you say that growing up in a society where mass shootings, unfortunately, occur often, and school safety is not ensured, has affected your education, mental, and social experiences on school/campus? If yes, how so?
Madachy explained a feeling of ‘desensitivity’ saying; “there’s a fear but it’s muted.” He described it stemming from lockdown drills since the age of five to the media spitting out reports without giving us time to process them. With all the fast media, it feels like we’re always hearing about another incident without time to process the previous one.
Do you feel paranoia surrounding you and other students, especially after these tragedies occur?
Antonia Swad, a student at George Washington University stated, “there’s a lot of times I’ll be sitting in my classroom and I’ll have this thought that like what if someone comes in here, how easy it would be for someone to shoot all of us; and that’s kind of like a daily occurrence, even walking through Kogan [an outdoor plaza on campus]…I find myself finding an escape plan in case something like that happens.”
Edward Calkins from the University of Maryland agreed; “You definitely picture yourself in that situation, ‘oh that could’ve been me.’”
In addition, Swad claims, “I feel like there’s just one week of acknowledgment and paranoia and then it goes away…”. She went on to explain that although it affects us, there is no lasting impression because we hear about it so much already, again approaching the topic of ‘desensitivity’ that Madachy opened up about earlier.
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Calkins, at the end of his interview, briefly but hopefully mentioned, “We know we can build this community, we know we can help each other out and help the mental side of it. We just need to start being more aware of our surroundings and trying to prevent them”.
Additional Thoughts
These interviews illuminated how gun violence affects students and what students felt were the bigger issues surrounding it. All the students interviewed agreed that while they have not directly experienced gun violence on their campuses, they certainly feel the effects of it. During the days after the incident at MSU, I remember constantly looking over my shoulder and feeling excessively worried about another gun incident. In casual conversations with friends and classmates, I discovered they felt the same.
The most prominent issue surrounding the topic of gun violence, in these interviews, was how this issue has been brushed aside, causing feelings of desensitization. Keeping these things in mind, it begs the question: why, even after all of this, are these incidents not getting the proper attention and support they deserve? I certainly believe that we have the power to push for gun violence reform, make campuses safer, and provide peace and comfort to students everywhere. I hope that everyone who reads this, while understanding the impact of gun violence, also joins me in the hope that we can make a change. It won’t happen overnight, but slowly we can make progress.
*Please make sure to do your own research on gun violence and the topics mentioned above. Sources have been included below to help start, please keep in mind the date sources are published/updated:
