April 17, 2025

Vigil at FSU on April 18

On April 17, 2025, a mass shooting occurred at Florida State University. I've been going back and forth on writing this blog. Should I talk about it on here or should I not? I decided it's too big of a deal to not talk about. I've been trying to find the right words to say which is nearly impossible at a time like this. I mean, what are you supposed to say when a shooting happens at your school? You always hear about shootings happening in other places. It's never at your school.

I have Tuesday/Thursday classes, and usually I am on campus from 9:30 am-4:30 pm. I have a long break in between 2 of my classes, so typically I sit in the student union from around 11 am-1 pm. The shooting took place in the student union area around 12 pm. My professors had decided to cancel classes that day, so I was home safe. Had they not, I would have been in that exact area in that exact time. That is very nerve wracking. I don't really know how to process that. Many people I have talked to actually have very similar stories. They either decided to skip their classes that day or their professors had canceled them. And I don't believe it was a coincidence. I believe it was definitely God protecting His people.

The professors and law enforcement were true heroes. There are actually several stories of professors gripping the doors of the classrooms since most of them do not have locks. Many students had to help create barricades for the classrooms with limited resources since many of the chairs and desks were nailed to the ground. One story almost brought me to tears. The kitchen staff in the student union put kids in a closet and guarded the door with knives and pans, ready to attack. How brave. The FSU faculty needs to be honored for their heroic acts, as well as the law enforcement who risked their lives for the safety of the students and ultimately stopped the violence. The shooter was shot by FSUPD in 4 minutes and FBI arrived within 12 minutes. That's amazing. I am linking a petition I would like for you to sign if you have a moment. It is to put locks on all of our classroom doors, a basic need we should have.

I have also now seen firsthand how the media reacts to tragedy. They circle around like vultures just itching to get the best stories that will give them the most views. When it was even still an active situation, the reporters were interviewing students left and right, not showing any kind of sympathy for what just took place. I understand this needs to be captured, however, there is a time and a place for this. We were even warned via email by FSU that the media would likely be on campus for the coming days and may ask students for interviews.

My heart grieves for the victims, families & friends of victims, those who saw things no one should ever have to see in their life, those who ran for their lives, and those who were barricaded in classrooms not knowing if they were going to make it out alive. This is an event that no one should ever experience. Period. The world is a very evil place full of twisted minds and bad people. But, I still believe that God is good and that He triumphs over evil, even during times like this.

It has been powerful seeing the community stand together during this tragic time. I believe that this will only bring us closer as a community. Pretty much everyone here has been affected by this, including those who were not on campus when it happened. I went to visit campus today, to take it all in and take the first step forward. I was hesitant to go, to walk the exact path of the shooting I saw so many videos of. But, I don't want to let fear dictate my life. I don't want to live in fear and be afraid to go to school everyday. That's not okay. And it's awful that many of us are scared to go to school now, and rightfully so. Let me tell you what I saw when I went to campus today.

I saw many people around me have the same expression on their faces: numbness. Everyone looked like they had been through it these last several days. Some people were weeping. Some brought flowers to add to the pile. Some wrote signs. Bible verses and encouraging phrases were written in chalk all over the ground. Witnessing this all brought tears to my eyes. It was difficult being there. I felt so many different emotions at once. I thought to myself, "well this is the spot where he showed up according to the videos." "This is the spot where people took off running for their lives." "This is the spot where that girl was recorded on the ground bleeding." And I hate that I now associate these spots on campus with that. But, walking on campus today was a step towards a form of normalcy. I don't know if FSU will ever be the same again, honestly. This tragedy has shaken up everyone. But, I think this will bring us even closer together in a way. I think throughout all of this, it has proven that we are stronger together. It has proven that God's light can shine even through hard times such as this.

FSU has been amazing at handling all of this. Our professors have been so accommodating, allowing us to choose whether or not to partake in our upcoming assignments and our final exams. They have also sent out such kind words of encouragement. I am so thankful and proud that this is my school. I chose the right school. Therapy dogs have been brought to campus for the last few days bringing smiles to students faces. Counseling centers have opened up allowing free sessions for students affected by it. FSU has sent out so many mental health resources. I am proud of how they have handled it.

I encourage you to keep FSU in your prayers. Pray for those who were on campus during the shooting. Pray for the victims and families & friends of victims. Pray for those of us who are battling survivor's guilt. Pray for the students to have peace stepping on campus the next time they go and for them to not let fear dictate their lives.

Thanks for reading this blog. I know it's not the usual blog post. I know this one's kind of a downer. But, I felt like it was necessary to write this. I can't not write about it. I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I know we'll continue to get through this together. I know we'll continue to see God shining through it. I know many people will come to know Jesus throughout this. We have to look at the light amidst the darkness. Again, thanks for reading, and I hope next blog post may be a little bit more lighthearted.