Thoughts and Prayers

So I don't really feel like doing a blog today on the trip. During our 20 minute break between classes, I happened to check my e-mail, which I never do during break, and I received the e-mail about the shooting death at Auburn. I then read all the news accounts, and I have to say I'm quite shocked. I didn't know Lauren, but it's still upsetting news to hear about such a horrible thing in my town. This kind of thing never happens at Auburn (this coming from the non-naive journalist who knows bad things happen everywhere). But it really seems very uncharacteristic of Auburn.

Needless to say, I wanted nothing more than to be back in Auburn, in my apartment where I could call my friends and make sure they are safe. Or back in The Plainsman office, calling officials to figure out what's going on. As a journalist, I know that almost every story has information that isn't released to the public, but is generally known among the journalists and the police. Now that I'm here, I'm not part of that circle of information, and it's driving me crazy that I don't know everything since I can only read the papers. From hearing from some of my friends back at school, I also know rumors immediately went around of a campus shooting, and a lot of people were very scared yesterday. I'm sorry that you all had to go through that, and that I wasn't there to help out, as I realize that for my most of my friends, I'm always the journalist with the information.

It's time like these when it's hard to be so far away. News is delayed, or maybe wrong, and I can never get an immediate response or constant updates on what's going on like I could back home. Plus the news cycle is just different. Web sites update later in the afternoon usually, and by that time, I'm no longer at school with Internet access.

Needless to say, today just doesn't feel like a good day. I just wanted to let you guys know back in Auburn that my thoughts and prayers are with you and Lauren's family. Please stay safe. I'll try to blog tomorrow.