I just don't know

[BishopMVP]

As many of you probably know, I've been going to UMass now for several (5) years. Anyways, I moved off-campus for a year and came back to the dorm/tower next to my old one this semester. So, long story short, I was coming back from my friends place like 3am in the pouring rain, headphones on when I notice multiple people in the lobby of my building. I turn to where they're looking and, well, apparently someone had jumped from my old building. Not only that, but from I've heard since it was (a girl) from the floor - 17 - I lived on for 3 years. I've checked everyone I still keep in contact with, and I'm certain it was no one I knew, but still this is way too close to home. Least the police could have done was get the CSI guys here before - it took them 3 hours until they put up a full tent to hide the body/sheet. Oh well, RIP, and sorry, I just had to vent/put something up somewhere.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Weird

So, um, someone's getting a 4.0 this semester then?

[Marc Vaughan]

That sucks - its always a shock to the system is someone geographically 'close' to you dies, even if you didn't know them.

I recall a year after leaving high school hearing of someone who had been in my year and died, I didn't really 'know' him - but it was a real mortality reminder one of the first I'd ever had so it really shook me.

Basically - try and use your shock/feelings it to make you appreciate what you have as much as possible.

[SteveMax58]

That is sad. When I was in junior high(middle school to some), we had a boy commit suicide in the bathroom with a gun. It was obviously such a shock to me and many others at that age.

I knew him reasonably well as he was in quite a few of my classes, and was actually in a few of my classes going back to 3rd grade. He wasnt a friend of mine, but was certainly a pleasant enough kid, and he wasnt the typical stereotype most might think of as he was well liked by most, and was not a complete outcast.

As I recall he committed suicide after school hours and was discovered by a custodian at the school...so I dont believe any kids actually saw this. I'm sure that discovery was quite traumatic for the custodian though.

It definitely changed my thoughts on mortality since this was somebody my age that did this.

[bhlloy]

One of my closest friends in high school jumped off a motorway bridge about 3weeks into our first year of university. He was clinically depressed but none of us knew at the time and he had just gone off his meds because the docs thought that he didn't need them anymore. Very sad, and it gets a little bit better as time goes by, but it's still something that stays with me (obviously).

On top of that my cousin was shot dead in Thailand 3 years ago and a guy I worked with for 2 years in high school was crushed to death in an elevator at university in a bizarre accident.

Anyway, not a "woe is me" post because I've been on the whole pretty lucky with close family, but I definitely agree with Marc. Appreciate what you have, never take the people closest to you for granted and know that messed up things can happen at any time . These things have certainly changed my outlook on life completely.

[BishopMVP]

Well, it turned out to be a guy, but not someone I knew, which I guess is a good thing for me.Basically - try and use your shock/feelings it to make you appreciate what you have as much as possible.These are pretty much my feelings on it - normally I'd be complaining about the weather today, or how much work I had to turn in, but it just felt great to be going to class and seeing friends there and tonight.

[Greyroofoo]

Jesus Christ, just because you're beaten by Ohio State certainly is no reason to kill yourself. I mean Michigan has been beaten by tOSU for a few years now however every Wolverine fan knows we'll get them next year.

[Flasch186]

i read a newsweek aticle about some city in Wales? where its an epidemic, kids committing suicide. There rooting eachother on and stuff on myspace (i think they use something different than myspace actually) but its crazy. hanging themselves if IIRC.

[Lathum]

Jesus Christ, just because you're beaten by Ohio State certainly is no reason to kill yourself. I mean Michigan has been beaten by tOSU for a few years now however every Wolverine fan knows we'll get them next year.

not very funny

[Greyroofoo]

not very funny

i thought the opposite

[Lathum]

i thought the opposite

sorry, I find no humor in suicide

[Greyroofoo]

sorry, I find no humor in suicide

WEREWOLF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VOTE LATHUM

[Greyroofoo]

I'm sorry if you give up so easily

[bhlloy]

i read a newsweek aticle about some city in Wales? where its an epidemic, kids committing suicide. There rooting eachother on and stuff on myspace (i think they use something different than myspace actually) but its crazy. hanging themselves if IIRC.

Wierd you should mention that. That's about 10 miles away from where I'm from. The unemployment rate is sky high in the South Wales valleys, which I'm sure at least contributes to the high suicide rates.

At last count 3 kids from my year in high school had committed suicide (including the guy I mentioned above) and there was a very high profile case with a 12 year old girl from my same school a few years back. Not something you want to be on the map for...

[Flasch186]

Wierd you should mention that. That's about 10 miles away from where I'm from. The unemployment rate is sky high in the South Wales valleys, which I'm sure at least contributes to the high suicide rates.

At last count 3 kids from my year in high school had committed suicide (including the guy I mentioned above) and there was a very high profile case with a 12 year old girl from my same school a few years back. Not something you want to be on the map for...

I just wanna go over there and grab the kids by the shoulder and shake them....Can you expand on what is going on there?

[Lathum]

I'm sorry if you give up so easily

I agree but the effect it has on the people that loved them is beyond what you could ever imagine or want to experience first hand.

[RendeR]

I'm with Lathum on this one grey, really poor taste. I can understand trying to lighten the mood a bit, but the attempt really failed this time round.

[bhlloy]

I just wanna go over there and grab the kids by the shoulder and shake them....Can you expand on what is going on there?

Not really, like I mentioned it's a very depressed area economically (90% of the jobs were in coal, and the govt. has really failed in attracting "new" jobs to the area), lots of messed up family situations and somehow the kids have got this idea that it's a cool/easy way out. I haven't lived in S. Wales full-time for going on 7 years now, so not very close to the situation anymore.

I don't think Greyroofoo means any harm. A lot of things are funny until you experience them first hand.

[Flasch186]

the "cool" factor is what's disturbing me (on top of it all). The article in Newsweek expanded on this, how kids would post their "date" on their Myspace page (again it's a localized sort of myspace or something) and their friends would cheer them on and after it had happened some would post things like, "Can't wait to see you soon." et al.

[SteveMax58]

How do kids get that killing themselves is "cool"? Is it as simple as they really have no guidance from any of the significant adults in their lives?

While I really think good parenting has been on the decline for quite a while, I wonder what major similarities(i.e. negative influences) do these kids have in common, outside of each other?

This is the type of stuff that really concerns me as a parent, as I believe all parents inadvertantly raise kids who are more susceptible/more easily drawn to certain types of influences.