Do not misunderstand me – I do chat about politics quite often with my friends, but it rarely leads to any heated discussions. The most heated discussions I have in regards to politics are often with my mum even though we mostly agree on different topics. My point is that I like to take the more diplomatic approach to things; I like to listen to other people’s views and why their views are the way they are. I don’t have a problem with saying what I mean and what I think is correct, but by no means am I an expert (yet) in any field. Thus, why I often leave the political fights up to those who really knows what they are talking about.
I made an exception today, however, when I decided to write this blog post.
It’s probably not shocking that the trigger for this post has been the recent terror attacks the world has seen. They are a reminder that the world is a scary place, but events like these also remind me to be grateful for everything around me. As someone who has friends living in Paris doing exactly the same as me - studying abroad - it is petrifying knowing they easily could have been a victim.
I don’t like using the phrase ‘in the wrong place at the wrong time’ because you should be able to go wherever you want to at whatever time without fearing for your life. You should be able to go out and enjoy yourself on a Friday night without ever doubting that you will get home safe.
More than anyone else, the younger generation has a responsibility to turn these horrifying events into valuable lessons. Lessons I wish we didn’t have to learn, at least not in this way. We have a duty not to spread xenophobic and racist ideas further, because I know very well that if every culture or religion on this planet wanted to kill everyone who was outside of their community there wouldn’t be any world today. I know very well that the guy who killed 77 people in Norway on the 22nd of July 2011 and bombed my beautiful city was a right-wing extremist Norwegian. I know that there were communities in Norway who experienced extreme hate the first hours after the bomb went off in Oslo.
This post is here to remind you that answering hate with hate only leads to more hate. It is here to remind you that the world can be so unimaginably cruel, just as it can be so extremely wonderful at the same time. It is here to remind you that you have an important voice in every community or society that you are a part of. Reading different comment sections on Facebook from various newspapers has made me (for lack of a better word) sincerely sad. I’m very happy my mum went to university with someone from Syria, who has taught us both that they are not as different from us as mass-media often like to portray it. I’m also happy I’m doing a course where we learn so extensively from experts on the different issues the world faces today.
The University has exchange opportunities in Paris and luckily all the exchange students from University of Southampton have been accounted for and are safe. At the same time we have students here from France both as students taking their whole degree here and through exchange with the Erasmus programme. Safe, however, does not mean that everything is alright and I’m extremely proud to be a student at a University who takes wellbeing and mental health issues very seriously. Remember that SUSU and the University’s Student Services offer help to everyone who is struggling with issues or concerns - I have only heard good things about the help offered by them.
Last week during the annual Christmas Light Switch On event, the University community observed a minute of silence for Paris and other countries affected by recent events before the lights were officially switched on.
Alexandra
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