Va. Tech Students Search for a 'New Normal'

April 22, 2007 — -- On Monday, students at Virginia Tech University will head back to class, one week after Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 people on campus before killing himself.

There are only a couple weeks left of the spring semester. But for the people who call the tree-studded, sprawling Virginia Tech campus home, memories of the horrors that happened on April 16 likely will linger forever.

Senior Theresa Walsh's favorite building on campus was Norris Hall. She was in math class there when Cho started his shooting spree. She barricaded the door, and managed to keep him out, despite shots being fired at that door.

Though Walsh is fine physically, she can't shake the sound of bullets or the feeling of panic from her head.

"It's so hard because I think about what happened in that building and that's the hard part is looking at that building, I don't know, that is where everything happened," she said.

Walsh's class has been moved to a new building. It's one of the many adjustments ahead for her and thousands of students on campus as they try to return to their routines.

Virginia Tech students were given the option of not coming back at all for the remainder of the spring semester. But for Walsh, going to class again will be part of the healing process.

Every class that meets Monday will have a broad-ranging discussion on the tragedy. The hope is that each student will share memories of the massacre and help the others find ways to cope.

While some students remained at Virginia Tech through the tragedy and its aftermath, others took shelter away from campus.

In Charlotte, N.C., junior Betsy Eichorn spent time with her parents and three brothers before heading back to class.

"I needed to get away from the chaos a little bit," she said. "A least at home you can turn the TV off and reflect."

But even in her hometown, Eichorn remained a part of the Virginia Tech community. She spent last week mourning her classmates and praying for their families. On Sunday, she'll drive back to campus.