<p>[UVa</a> makes some changes after student’s death | Daily Progress](<a href=“http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2011/mar/29/uva-makes-some-changes-after-students-death-ar-936837/]UVa”>http://www2.dailyprogress.com/news/2011/mar/29/uva-makes-some-changes-after-students-death-ar-936837/)</p>
<p>but … steam tunnels aren’t even remotely related to the fall!</p>
<p>Just like the Yeardly Love incident last year, administrators probably feel obligated to respond so that it seems like they’re doing their jobs. This is most likely more for show than anything else.</p>
<p>It’s sad that someone died, but I don’t think that much will change (nor should it).</p>
<p>Have respect, guys. There is a time and place, this is not the time and cc is not the place. A fellow student has just died. Discussing sign and tunnel bans right now is inappropriate. Have some compassion.</p>
<p>But I don’t see why we should be punished for his actions. I do have sympathy – I mean had he been my friend I would have gone with him, just not on a rainy day.</p>
<p>You think you are being punished. Look at this through his parents eyes and then say that again.</p>
<p>if my child died in an accident, I’d be incredibly tearful but I wouldn’t be bitterly vengeful about all the favourite pasttimes he participated in that were related to his death. If my child died while trying to swim across the English Channel I wouldn’t try to blame the coach that got him involved in the sport. In between bouts of crying my heart out, I would try to celebrate his life.</p>
<p>frenchcoldplay,It seems like you are 20? I suggest you revisit your opinions on this in about 20 or 30 years,particularly if you become a parent. I don’t see anybody being “bitterly vengeful”, just you showing a lack of understanding of the enormity of this to the UVa community and especially to Tom’ s family.</p>
<p>I agree with woosah. UVA is trying to show support for this student and his family, and regardless of what we think of the rules, it’s not the time to be thinking about ourselves and how the bans affect us.</p>
<p>I completely agree with woosah. Please have some respect for the family and friends who knew and loved him. I know the family well and there is not a scrap of bitterness toward UVA or anyone involved. It is very hurtful for you to suggest otherwise frenchcoldplay. They are a family of great faith who are showing nothing but grace and compassion throughout this difficult time and are thanking God for the wonderful 19 years they had with him.</p>
<p>this is not also counting the fact that I can no longer stay in the physics library after-hours despite the fact that I am taking intermediate-level physics courses aimed at physics majors, because I am not technically a physics major (merely a chemistry student who finds physics relevant) and don’t have the building key. </p>
<p>Before, it was never an issue. I could freely stay in the library as long as I wanted to – even pull all-nighters and sleep there. Now they have some ridiculously-strict security policy I can no longer even do problem sets with my group.</p>
<p>I would go so far to say that I empathise with the student very much. Risk-taking is a natural part of being young – in being adventurous, we feel fulfilled, human. Exploration is a human urge – that gratifies our souls. While he should have taken some larger precautions, I don’t see why the University should now clamp down on such an innate part of being human, especially when before it was a celebrated University tradition. (They are after all, items on the official list of 111 things to do before graduating.) What would have the student wished if had survived that fall? Would he have declared, “no – no student should ever do this ever again?”, or would he have promoted greater education on safety?</p>
<p>I know you are young, but for one moment, just one, think beyond yourself and not how this has affected you. You are discussing problem sets and building keys and then you go on a diatribe about empathizing with the students adventurous spirit, one big difference you are not in his shoes you are alive.</p>
<p>erwinrd, I am very sorry for the loss of your friend. His family has shown great faith and strength through a very difficult time.</p>
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<p>dude, I’m not being intentionally selfish. Let students honor his memory in their own way; there’s a service for him this weekend. I do not think it unreasonable to ask the administration to act reasonably. More safety lectures, more precautions, but there is no need to be so heavy-handed. </p>
<p>I know his impulse; in Singapore at the age of 14 I thought this overgrown train track was decommissioned (non-MRT train transport was never discussed in Singaporean social studies – I thought we had modernised!). I discovered that the government had allocated squatter camps for migrant workers along the track (where it was invisible and NIMBY), along with various interesting landmarks lost to public memory. After a series of false alarms, I found trains actually ran on the track and I couldn’t get out of this ditch the tracks had passed through in the end I had to stand in this super narrow gap with the train roaring by 3 inches away from my face. Another time I thought running home with my eyes closed (amidst wet leaves on the ground) was a great idea until I smashed my two front teeth on the pavement and blacked out. </p>
<p>I think know that feeling that he probably got as he threw open the roof access door with the night wind in his face and the moon shining down upon him. That feeling of fear and despair as he slipped and cried, “oh ____!” – only unlike all the situations before, this time there would be no final save, no relieving sigh of, “whew! that was close!” with your heart pounding and blood suddenly pumped with adrenaline, because this time, the one sheer thing that stood between you and a precipitous fall did not kick in time. </p>
<p>I am not some brash student that is callous about death. I am intimately familiar with death for more reasons than I currently would like to explain. But you adults’ hand-wavy taboo bans on legitimate concerns and topics of conversation – especially on areas that were probably passionate interests of the deceased – are curious to say the least. It’s like letting Death win.</p>
<p>If you want respect and dignity don’t come to CC and talk to college students, simple as that, it really isn’t that hard.</p>
<p>Years ago, I heard of people getting injured from running through UVa steam tunnels and smacking their head or getting burned by steam. Its time to stay on ground surfaces.</p>
<p>Im not gonna lie… steam-tunneling, streaking the lawn, rooftops, etc. are what made me love UVA so much</p>
<p>don’t feed the ■■■■■ guys</p>