As you walk down Appian Way on your way to an afternoon class, do you ever stop and think to yourself, “Where would I hide if something were to go wrong?” Now, this may not be the most uplifting and exciting topic to discuss, but the Equinox believes it’s a conversation worth having.
Over the past decade, we’ve heard heart-wrenching news about several shootings. It seems as though nothing is off limits anymore. Schools, movie theatres, malls, military centers, grocery stores and even the workplace for some, have been targets for these deadly shootings.
The purpose of this editorial is not to scare Keene State College students, but rather to encourage them to be conscious human beings. We would like to attempt to open up a new way of looking at our safety as human beings in general, and our safety here on this campus.It is important to note that there is a difference between living in fear and being aware of your surroundings. A scary but worthy question to ask is this: are we ever really safe?This is not to say that Keene State College doesn’t do a good job ensuring our safety, that is not the case at all. However, some instances are extremely unpredictable and we can only hope to be prepared for these kinds of situations.
Statistically speaking, we are fortunate to be living in one of the most peaceful centuries yet. The Equinox found this to be very interesting because it seems as though nearly each week, we hear about the latest shooting or tragic event.How can this be possible?
We would argue that this is partially due to our technological advances. Think about how quickly the news can spread today. News
Photo Illustration by Jake Coughlin / Administrative Executive Editor
is practically at our fingertips 24/7. Many of us have access to smartphones where we have news apps. Even for those of us who don’t have news apps, our social media is flooded with news articles.We live in a time where we can access information virtually instantly. So it isn’t necessarily that more shootings or violent acts of this nature are happening, but rather we hear about these cases at a much more rapid pace.
The era we live in is exposed to so much of what is going on in the world at all times. It’s tough to take a stance on whether this is good or bad. Being an informed citizen is certainly good, however sometimes it’s important to question whether or not we are being exposed to too much.While it seems like we live in such scary times, in comparison to decades back, we might not be experiencing as many tragedies as it seems. Twenty or thirty years ago these types of shootings were still happening, but it wasn’t reported to us as immediately as it is today. With that said, it is important to create and understand a balance. The balance we’re talking about is understanding and being cautious of the fact that danger is always a possibility; it can be lurking around anywhere at anytime. But this should not stop us from conducting ourselves in a normal fashion.Take safe precautionary measures. If you’re walking back to your apartment from campus late at night, try calling a friend to pick you up. Or maybe invest in some mace or something you can defend yourself with.
Make use of campus safety in uneasy situations. If you are questioning your safety, don’t wait. Make the call to campus safety. Report any suspicious behavior. Know that its job is to help protect you, the student. Take advantage of the fact that you have constant access to their officers and resources. Don’t hesitate if you see a situation that makes you scared.
Don’t be too naive and trusting of those around you. But at the same time, try to remind yourself that you need to take your life one day at a time and not let your fears get in the way of leading the normal life you wish to have.
