Violence periodically erupts throughout history, and college campuses are not exempt from these episodes. Yet, our human tendency to forget painful events as soon as possible can cause us to be gullible and irrationally fearful. However, when we understand the epidemic of violence, we can become proactive agents in our everyday lives, through developing a “Situational Awareness”—an expanded consciousness of our surroundings.
Being alert requires no extraordinary training or security measures. Yet, paying attention may not be so simple. Modern technologies distract us; in addition, humans are naturally habitual creatures, tending to become robotic in our daily routines. Modern generations need not only confront their innate human inclination to be robotic in our routines, but also remain vigilant of the technological temptations for our attention.
In accepting that violence may erupt randomly, a natural caution arises. As a result, being accustomed to our surroundings, we can easily spot an out-of-place person or circumstance. Thus, being more attentive, we can react appropriately— from simply crossing the street to informing the authorities about an unusual situation.
