On November 30, I was locked down in a classroom at Oxford High School while an armed student fired shots in the hallways.
School shootings always seemed like only something you would see on the news, but not something that you would ever have to go through. The trauma of the event is still with me today, but I’ve learned that healing takes time. Every day, things get a little bit easier, but never easy.
Once we were back in classes in January at our middle school for half days, the impact of the shooting was clear. We would jump at loud noises, need the classroom door shut right, and would have to bring friends to the bathroom. Any mention of a gun would make me nearly vomit, and my hands would start to shake. Everyone was going through the same emotions and leaned on each other for support. I’ve never seen people in my school be so kind and go so far out of their way for others. Through it all, we persevered and took back our school. Talking about experiences with gun violence are so important! Thank you!