It was a Wednesday, my birthday, and I went to school just like every other day of the week. I was switching class periods when a large group of students came running out of the wing I was heading to. I was swept up with the crowd and didn’t quite realize that my life was in danger. My school didn’t go onto lockdown because of certain circumstances; instead we evacuated. Once evacuated, I learned that one of my classmates had a gun and was intending to open fire on the students at my school.
While on school grounds, I wasn’t scared. I was in shock. I didn’t realize the danger I was in until I got a call from my mom, who was crying. I could barely make out what she was saying, but I was able to assure her that I was safe. School was released that day, and for the following week we had extra precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. It didn’t hit me until I got home and saw a YouTube interview of school shooting survivors. I now consider myself lucky because I realize not everyone in my same situation makes it out to tell their story.