Students of Graham-Greenlee Residence Hall are moving on from events of the past. One year after the slaying of freshman Mia Henderson, freshmen and other residents of the dorm are only looking forward.
Freshmen, who were not UA students during last year’s slaying, are not letting the event in their residence hall affect their daily lives.
“”It doesn’t affect me at all really, because it was last year. That person doesn’t go here anymore, and besides, it can happen to anybody,”” said Daniel Cross, a physics freshman. “”I felt bad, but it’s not going to stop me from having a good time.””
Other students, including Cross’ roommate, seem less affected regarding the slaying of Henderson.
“”I think we lucked out, because nobody wants to live here anymore,”” said Aidan Koch, a freshmen majoring in energy development. “”So nobody really troublesome wants to come here.””
When asked about living in or near the room where the slaying took place, Koch said, “”Unless there are blood stains, I really could give a shit. It’s none of my business. As long as they kicked her ass out or put her in jail, I could give a shit less.””
Although freshmen residents at Graham-Greenlee were not present for the slaying, many feel that remembrance is imperative in moving on.
“”You should know about it and be aware of it, but … life is short, and if you spend time worrying about that sort of stuff, it’s just going to affect you more,”” said Brenna Palen, a veterinary sciences freshman. “”I am not too worried about it at all, but it is no good living in ignorance.””
In light of media attention, many residents are vociferously defending their normalcy. Several residents of Graham-Greenlee were upset from the connotations attached to their residence hall as a result of Henderson’s death. Many were eager to detach the slaying from the place it occurred.
“”The fact that I live in Graham-Greenlee doesn’t affect the way that I feel about this dorm, knowing that someone died here,”” said James Brislawn, a chemistry freshman.
Brislawn was exposed to the slaying last year, but refuses to dwell on it, feeling that such a perspective can be negative.
“”I am not a bleeding heart kind of person,”” Brislawn said. “”I am desensitized to this story now. It doesn’t really affect my daily life.””
“”It’s not the room that does the killing,”” Koch said. “”People die in Darfur all the time. I am detached from the point of view that it’s the dorm, when it’s not the dorm’s fault. I’m sorry, but you have to move on.””
Freshmen residents are ready to look past the slaying last year, and many of them already have. Looking forward is what the residents of Graham-Greenlee are doing, and although many believe that reflection is necessary, others believe still that dwelling is not the way to go about it.
“”It’s a whole different group of people now this year, and we can’t change what happened,”” said Alyssa Currie, a pre-nursing freshman. “”So I don’t know that we should just live in the past.””
