I Remember #Livefor32

8 years have passed and I will always remember April 16, 2007.

I remember being exhausted from my drive up from a weekend spent in DC and super excited to have purchased my first car.

I remember rushing out of my dorm at Cochrane for my 8am class across the street and passing an ambulance outside of West AJ.

I remember sitting in my 200+ person lecture with few other students, having our professor comment on how empty the classroom was even though it was 8am Monday morning class and hearing a fellow student comment that West AJ was on lockdown.

I remember walking  adjacent to the Drillfield to the Chem/Phys building for my chemistry lab and being passed by numerous campus, town and state police cars.

I remember calling my father immediately and letting him know that something was happening on campus, that I didn't know what it was but that I was ok.

I remember whispering with my lab partner and fellow classmates about what could be happening in Blacksburg also affectionately known as "Wacksburg" that would warrant so much attention.

I remember my TA coming and telling us that campus was on lockdown and we were to remain in the building.

I remember  trying to call my roomate and suitemates who probably weren't even awake yet because none of them had classes before 10am and then being reminded that cell phones hardly worked in the Chem/Phys Building.

I remember an hour passing and banding together with other students to make a run for it to our dorms just across the Drillfield. After all, there was no way we would all get into trouble.

I remember making the mad dash across the Drillfield, walking into my suite to find a group of my friends, suitemates and roomate huddled around the TV in our living room.

I remember receiving a hug from my roommate and then sitting down to watch the television myself.

I remember watching the news as it poored in and the death toll rose. 10. Then 15. And more to come.

I remember  thinking, this can't be right. They have it wrong. Things like this happen in DC, not Blacksburg.

I remember the phone tree of trying to call friends and locate people.

I remember cell phones not working and having to look up people's hardly ever used room phone numbers.

I remember using Facebook to tell the outside world that for now we are not in harms way.

I remember waiting.

I remember crying.

I remember waiting.

I remember.

I remember when I heard about Erin. And Ryan. And Professor Nowak's Wife Jocelyn.

I remember it all. And though pieces of yesterday may be blurry in my memory, I remember Monday April 16, 2007.

Because I remember that day, I also remember to forgive my dog for peeing in my apartment after a long day in his crate.

I remember to not fuss too much at my mother when she butt dials my cell phone.

I remember to take the time to read that book I added to my Kindle list.

I remember to turn up my stereo and dance while I clean up my apartment.

I remember to smile.

I remember to laugh.

I remember those whose life was cut short.

I remember to #Livefor32.