Looking back on this day, I would not have believed you if you told me that UNLV would be one of the many universities to see a mass shooting.
On August 31, 2023, a rainy day, myself, Daniel, and a few friends attended the annual UNLV Premiere. We found ourselves sitting on the grass, enjoying the light rain and scenery as others began to take cover from the drizzle. Talking amongst ourselves, laughing and telling jokes. The rain only got harder, so Daniel and I chose to leave early in fear of getting sick. I look back and wish I had stayed a little longer and enjoyed the moment a little bit more, before all these memories would become obsolete.
It’s easy for outsiders to tell you to “move on” from a difficult situation. As a student, I am not looking to “move on” from what happened on the dreaded evening of Dec. 6 because there is no moving on. There is only growth and change. To move on is to forget, and I do not wish to forget what happened, to forget those who died at the hands of a stranger. But I want to grow, I want to grow as a student and become greater than ever. I want to make changes to our campus to ensure the safety of our staff and students. There is simply no forgetting the fear of losing my life and the greater fear that one of my residents had been harmed. There is no forgetting the rush of adrenaline, the hiding, the crying. We can only grow, and we can only change. As a student and staff of the UNLV campus, I will not forget. I will not move on.
We are #unlvstrong.
