Today is the eighth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Though current NIU students who watched the events unfold that day are much older now, the tragic events of that day still resonate in students’ daily lives.

9/11 affected everyone in various ways. For some, it influenced them to join the military.

“That was one of the issues that made me see that things are bigger than myself,” said
Anthony Johnson, member of the Army and a public administration graduate student. With this on his heart, Johnson joined the military one year later, Sept. 11, 2002.

Before 9/11, Johnson said he had the mindset that “living in America, everything is fine;” however, the terrorist attacks made him see that “everything is not guaranteed.”

Senior marketing major Jesse Tober joined the Army National Guard straight out of high school.

“I didn’t know how much 9/11 would impact my life,” Tober said prior to joining the military, but as a result “many of the traits that I like about myself are a result of being here.”

Freshman undecided major Matthew Savage said his reason for joining the military was that “we were a nation at war” and that, as a result of enlisting, “I matured a lot quicker,” Savage said.

Every individual’s story is different. NIU students handle their feelings about the 9/11 attacks differently. Some join the ROTC program, some enlist and others just recognize.

“You cannot fight for peace,” said sophomore undecided major Jennifer Lee.

The 9/11 attacks inspired a lot of feelings in many Americans.

“Words cannot describe what the people went through during the 9/11 attacks,” said Holly
Gregg, senior physical therapy major. “This is a sad day for everyone and should be a day for reflection.”

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