Attending college is one of the most common paths that students take after high school graduation. Teens leave their childhood homes and move into a dorm of their own. Starting college is supposed to be an exciting time, full of self-discovery and making everlasting memories. Students get excited to meet their roommates, decorate their living space and attend their first college parties. These moments are what most students envision when applying to college, but the excitement has dwindled since last term.
Now, most students are spending more time worrying than preparing for the next weekend outing. On November 13, news broke about the murders of four students at the University of Idaho. Since then, this story has circulated news outlets, social media platforms and other universities. A place that is meant to prepare students for adulthood has now turned into another potential danger zone.
Ella Taylor, a first-year student at the University of Northern Colorado, described the effects that the cases have had since returning to campus.
“It’s made me more aware about letting people in the building. When I go back to my dorm, and there is someone behind me who is also coming in, that very easily could be someone who is not a student,” Taylor said.
After learning about the news, many students on campus are hyper-aware of their surroundings. Students are making sure to always lock up behind them and are doing whatever they can to stay safe. The cases are making some students question the safety of both on and off-campus housing.
