Shock.
Disbelief.
Is this real?

Gathered around televisions, students, teachers and faculty stopped to stare, stopped to wonder, stopped to ask what was happening in America. Tuesday's terrorist attacks against the United States left the Virginia Wesleyan campus and a nation stunned. Chaos struck as two hijacked airplanes crashed into New York's World Trade Center. Another plane crashed into the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and another outside of Pittsburgh.

"The answering machine woke me up," said sophomore Colin Higgins. "And my mother said, 'Everyone is accounted for, no need to worry.' I didn't know what she was talking about, so I turned on the T.V. and I saw the giant dust cloud coming out of New York City.’" People around campus quickly learned of the news. "It's a big shock that all of this took place simultaneously," said freshman Colleen O'Connell. "You think it only happened once, but it was four separate incidents all in one morning. The people on my hall, Rose Hall (first floor), were phoning family and friends, making sure everything was fine." Emotions ran high all day. Students from the disaster sites were desperate to get in touch with relatives. "My father works in Downtown Manhattan," said freshman Chanell Roach. "I was worried that he might have been hurt, but I called and got through and he's all right."

"I don't want to die. I'm ready for the bombs to start dropping," said senior Emily Bowling. "I just want to find my dad." Many students and family are tied to the military and with the concerns of war looming, they fear for the safety of their loved ones. "My fiancé is on the USS George Washington, which is on its way to New York," said freshman Amanda Mitchell. "The possibility of him being in war makes me very nervous."

"My Dad's fiancé's daughter works in the World Trade Center. They haven't heard anything from her. Everybody's hysterical in my family," said sophomore Danielle Cavallo. "My stepdad is in the navy and is concerned about going into war." Faculty were also troubled by what was happening. "As ex-military, I feel it is time to retaliate," said Security Officer Manny White. "I do believe that it is a possibility that the Hampton Roads area could be hit."

"This is the reality of the modern age," said philosophy professor Steven Emmanuel, "what technology has made possible. The enemy is faceless. One of the greatest challenges is to come up with the right response." The Residence Life staff helped students with the situation. Keith Moore, director of residence life, sought to identify students who were from terrorist attack sites and contacted them to see if they needed help. "The RA's did an excellent job of keeping me informed and checking on students, making sure everyone was OK," said Moore. Bill Brown and Molly McClurg from counseling services are talking to students having trouble coping with recent events. Their offices are located in Pruden Hall.

"America needs to get back to its roots, and that's prayer," said dining services employee Polly Gaskins. "God is the only one that can turn things around." Prayer, she said should be "from the White House to every house. I believe we should all band together and pray." As the dust settles people demand answers. "It's tragic. A lot of people went to work today thinking they would come home," said senior adult studies student Janice Williams. "Children will go home from school today to no mom or dad. What do we do? We don't want a war, but probably we'll have one. Mostly, we need to pray."

"I'm not a fighter, but I'm willing to fight for my country," said senior Casey Ireland. "I don't want to go to war unless it's the only way to stop these people," said sophomore Heather Segraves. As more information develops, a campus waits and a nation waits, waits for action, waits to know more and, most of all, waits for answers.