Violence on campus changes the whole scheme of a university. From the top of the administration to the freshman class, everyone is affected by the horrors that occurs when an individual(s) take someone’s life in a senseless crime. An issue that is important to me concerning school shootings is the process of picking up the pieces after the massacre as occurred. The effects can be felt around the campus psychologically, which to me, continues to have a remnant effect on a university. Because emotions and thoughts remain way after an event as physically taken place, it is important that universities equip themselves with resources and services that can help facilitate the healing process for many students.
The American Psychological Association published a document with helpful hints for students during the traumatic and stressful period of time surrounding violence on campus. Below are the seven points the APA hits on:
“Talk about it.”
Not talking about the trauma one has experienced can really lead to dealing with
thoughts that one may not be able to properly handle alone. Universities should
and mostly do provide counseling services to students.
“Strive for Balance.”
It becomes very easy to let the negative and highly traumatic event cloud your vision.
Life can feel like everything is unplanned, chaotic, and scary. When facing so much
negativity, it’s best to surround oneself with positive people and places to balance out
the stress.
“Turn it off & Take a Break.”
The media can do a fantastic job covering the who, what, when, where, & how of
school shooting, which can be VERY overwhelming for a person who has been
directly and indirectly affected by it. In order to minimize the saturation of the stressful
images, a student should focus on moving on and how to return to a more normal
state of mind.
“Honor Your Feelings.”
Students will experience a wide range of feelings during this time. It’s important that a
person understands that mood swings and changes are common and normal. It is
also crucial that students honor the feelings of their friends as well and be as
understanding and accommodating as possible.
“Take care of Yourself.”
It is especially important that students do not turn to drugs and alcohol to help
alleviate any stress that they may accrue because of the violent incident. It is best to
turn to healthier options such as exercising, written therapy, and enjoying a hobby.
“Help others or do something productive.”
Now is the perfect time to engage in civic service to help with the destressing
processing. Community service is a great option because it allows students to
help others directly and change themselves as well.
“Remember that grief is a long process.”
If a student has lost a loved one or friend during the shooting, grieving may seems to
control their lives, yet it is a process that is necessary. Students should honor
themselves and understand that losing a loved one is never easy, however, it is
possible to build new healthy relationships again.
It is so important that higher education administrators and staff really own up to the damage that can occur after a traumatic incident. Just knowing that something so deadly happened in the halls that a student walked through everyday for class forces us to confront our mortality in a crude and “in-your-face” way. However, through a good support system and a spirit of patience and understanding, a college campus can help its student body pick up the pieces.
Link to APA Tips:
http://www.ucc.vt.edu/pdf/APA%20Virginia%20Tech%20Tragedy.pdf
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