This year has been an exciting one, to say the least. St. Louis was named the most dangerous city to live in. And, with this proclamation, crimes have been occurring closer and closer to campus. There have been muggings in a highly Wash. U. populated neighborhood. There has been a random beat down of a Wash. U. student on Debalivere St. There has been an assault on the South 40. This last incident brought home for the student body what some of us have known for a while: the Wash. U. bubble has been popped.

Some might even say that the bubble was never even there. Either way it is important to realize that the bubble only existed to Washington University students. We created it. We ignored St. Louis. Since freshman year, St. Louis has been acknowledged as an outer force – one that we are separate from, and one that we have little connection to. I don’t know when it started and it doesn’t matter. What does matter is how important it is to remain clear on its absence.

Knowing that the invisible protection of the bubble does not keep us safe, we now realize that we are not impervious to crime. The assault in Myers was random and could not have been prevented. It was no one’s fault but the perpetrator’s. And, in this way, we need to realize we live in the real world, despite the environment that the Top Care landscapers so carefully cultivate for us.

I applaud the new measures that are being taken by the University, as long as they do not again become a source for apathy. The inclusion of a preventative education program on safety is a very good step if implemented correctly. It needs to stress the individual’s responsibility and the vigilance each person needs to have. Also, the decision to opt for CCTV is better than the constant presence of guards. We go to college, not prison. I’m also glad to see that we are not taking the route similar to Saint Louis University, which requires an ID to be shown when entering the buildings. We are adults, and I’m happy to see that the University is treating us as such.

I am not saying all of us should live in a constant state of fear. That gets us nowhere. But we need to stress the importance of each person’s awareness. We live in the real world, whether we are on campus or not. We should all act accordingly.

Chelsea is a junior in the School of Art and a Forum Editor. She can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]

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