My brother and I (freshman and senior respectively) give each other worried expressions about this topic whenever it comes up. After Parkland, and as we were discussing the events in AP Macro, I became worried that, on a random day, my brother will be dead. And I won’t be near him to protect him.
I will be going to my city’s MFOL rally on the 24th. I’m currently trying to coax my brother into coming along.
I don’t think there’s any such thing as “normal”. When it comes to situations like this.
Is it logical to be afraid?? Sure. But is it logical to think that your presence could somehow protect those you love from harm? Nope. You could be the biggest guy in your school, but you wouldn’t have a chance against an armed lunatic with the intention of doing harm.
The question isn’t “should you be afraid”. But rather “ are you willing to give up any shot at normalcy as you quiver in fear at home in your bedroom closet.” And once again, the answer is “nope.”
Absolutely, keep your eyes and ears open. Let N adult know if you see something that seems off. But go to school, go to the mall and the movies and karaoke and skating and hiking and all the other things were fortunate enough to have access to. Be aware, but not paralyzed with fear.
Talk to your GC or School Psychologist about that. There may be others who are having the same thoughts.
Normal? Yes. Logical? No.
Do research on the statistics involving school shooting deaths and contrast that with the amount of teens dying from other causes such as suicide and you will realize that one is drastically overemphasized because of humans’ natural feelings about violent injustice.
Are you afraid to ride in a car? an airplane? You are infinitely more likely to die in a car accident than being shot at school, your chances of being shot at school are literally about 1 in a million. Normal to be concerned…maybe, but there a certainly more pressing things that are likely to effect you than a mass shooting (1 in 110k, btw). Dying from cancer 1 in 5. Dying from the flu 1 in 10k.
You should speak with a counselor to help you cope.
https://www.campussafetymagazine.com/safety/u-s-school-shooting-statistics-us/
http://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/preventable-death-overview/odds-of-dying/