Hysterical climate

I just got back from what can categorically be called NOT a relaxing lunch. I am having something of a frantic and exhausted day to begin with so I decided to forgo my carton of soup in favor of a burger and fries from the caf (I know, I know).

While in the cafeteria a very loud alarm, possible the active shooter alert, began chiming. Only one caf employee began freaking out—and boy did he freak, but understandably—while the students sat complacently in their chairs, staring like downer cows waiting for the death to come and find them. I felt extreme pressure because, as faculty, it’s my job to drop everything and start doing emergency procedures. The most stressful part was the not knowing—is this an emergency? And the alarm stopped 30 seconds later… we still have no clue, but judging the pacific faces in the library I am guessing there was no emergency.

Existing in this hysterical climate is beyond exhausting. As though students and faculty both didn’t have enough to contemplate on a daily basis… now we worry that we come to work and to school and get gunned down in the course of our mundaneity. Although nothing came of it and people really looked at the caf worker like he was insane, I really appreciated how seriously he was prepared to take the incident. If someone’s coming to blow me away (maybe they hated ARTStor that much?) I would much rather someone take the idea of keeping us all alive very seriously.

Did I mention today is the anniversary of the Virginia Tech tragedy? No, I’m sure you knew that already.