Northern Illinois students return to classes ... but not to normalcy

A slow, silent march back to classes began Monday morning at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

It's been 11 days since a gunman burst into a crowded lecture hall, killing five students, injuring 16 others and then killing himself.

But while Monday marked the official return to classes, the campus remained far from normal for the grieving university community.

"Given enough time, all wounds heal," junior Jorian Arneson said. "By the end of the semester, I would hope we're back to normal. But you can never fully recover from something like this -- not the people that were here."

More Coverage Video NIU Students Return to Class After Shootings

As students solemnly plodded to classes through cold, fog and freezing rain, only the sounds of their footsteps were audible. Even students walking together barely raised their voices above a whisper, if they talked at all.

As they passed Cole Hall, the site of the Feb. 14 tragedy, they stole nervous glances at the building that remained cordoned off early Monday with yellow crime-scene tape. The tape was removed before 11 a.m., after police made a final official visit inside the facility.

"It's very quiet there," said Jason Inman, a 1993 NIU graduate. "I woke up today and decided to come out here to show my support for the students. I've been letting them know they're in my thoughts and prayers."

Many alumni were on campus to welcome students back, perhaps no group with a greater presence than members of the 1983 Cal Bowl championship football team.

"You feel like you want to do something because it's such a tragic situation," said Clark Johnson, a member of that famed squad.

Senior Rob Staresina returned to school Sunday. While he was ready, his mother was not.

"My parents, more specifically my mother, was more scared than anything," he said. "It's been a little weird. You usually see more people walking around, but I suppose it's early."

Even Arneson said he felt apprehensive as he arrived on campus for classes.

"It wasn't bad at first," he said, "but when I started walking on campus, I noticed I was checking everyone out more."

Faculty also felt the awkwardness, but many put aside their concerns and focused on the well-being of their students. Nina Mounts, a psychology professor, organized a welcome back breakfast. Area stores such as Jewel and Costco donated hundreds of doughnuts, muffins and bagels, while several staff members brought homemade items that were distributed to students as they entered the building.

"There's no psychology to it," Mounts said. "This is just Mom's recipe for making everyone feel a little bit more welcome."

One way to gauge the support and sympathy has been the bookstore's voluminous sales of Huskie paraphernalia.

"I had talked with the Virginia Tech bookstore manager last week, and he told me to expect interest to pick up," NIU University Bookstore manager Don Turk said.

The bookstore is selling its usual stock. It doesn't have anything for sale that memorializes the shooting or the victims. It had taken over sales of memorial T-shirts students had created to raise money for the scholarship fund set up to honor the victims, but those sales ceased Monday, Turk said.

"We don't want to trade on tragedy," he said.

Four double-sided white message boards were a popular stop for many of the students as they passed through Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Commons in the middle of campus.

Students were greeted by supporters offering free cookies, free candy bars and even hugs.

Linda Rein brought her comfort dog, Marley, all the way from Biloxi, Miss., to greet students who visited the message boards. She and her golden retriever were part of a four-dog team from Extra Mile Ministries that patrolled the grounds in an attempt to provide a cuddly distraction for grieving students.

"She's trained in touch therapy," Rein said. "She's been doing her job well today."

An array of mourners added their handwritten thoughts to the white boards.

Freshman Jessie Shattuck was filming the messages left on the walls just before lunchtime.

"I'm recording everything because I think it's so beautiful how everyone is expressing their love," she said. "These boards provide a sense of community for everyone; just look at how they're all filled. There were only two at first, but they've added two more, and it's just as filled."

Open space on the boards is scarce, but several students found enough room to convey the words that have become thematic on the makeshift memory wall: "You will not be forgotten."