Forward, together forward.

These lyrics, from the Huskie Fight Song, have been the rallying cry of the NIU community since the Feb. 14 shooting.

They have been stamped on numerous signs around DeKalb and Sycamore, and on dozens of Web sites.

They were the theme of Sunday’s memorial at the Convocation Center, with everyone from NIU President John Peters and his wife Barbara Peters, to Illinois politicians Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Sen. Dick Durbin repeating them.

But more importantly, the lyrics “Forward, together forward” were at the heart of why many students attended the memorial service. Even as 10,000-plus individuals gathered at the Convo, the Huskie Nation stood, breathed, cried and grieved as one.

Sophomore psychology major Nathan LaForte said he believed the memorial service is essential for the healing process.

“This is a chance for all the students to cope with what has happened,” LaForte said. LaForte noted that the campus was empty when many of the vigils were held.

Greer Blaustein, a junior theatre studies major, also echoed similar sentiments for unity and healing.

“It’s a way for us all as a student body to come together to honor those we’ve lost,” Blaustein said. “To honor each other and to get what little closure we can in hopes that we can all move on together.”

The features of the memorial service were also based around unity. During the singing of the Alma Mater, everyone present was asked to stand and to shine their flashlights.

Eddie Williams, executive vice president of Finance and Facilities, said a prayer during the invocation.

“We will not let darkness alter nor extinguish our light,” Williams said.
Sophomore finance major Sarah Pfaff said she felt the memorial service was appropriate and necessary.

“I think it was a good point to start to move NIU away from tragedy,” Pfaff said.

But even as the healing begins, it is often common in tragedies for the living to feel guilty about the victims. LaForte and Blaustein said they both expressed similar feelings of regret.

“I have been doing things to keep my mind occupied, and I start feeling guilty,” LaForte said.

Blaustein added, “You feel guilty because you think ‘I shouldn’t be going out to eat,’ but you want to.”

Blaustein’s twin sister, Phoebe Blaustein, a junior mathematics education major, said everyone has to move on.

“We have to remember that the people whose lives were lost wouldn’t want ours to stop,” she said.

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