Think Back. Within the last few months how many times do you remember saying “the world’s coming to an end?” In a normal situation I would say that you are being overdramatic, but with all the events that have gone down in the last few months, it seems like less of a hyperbolic statement. From the tsunami’s storms in Asia last December, to the massive amounts of recent hurricanes and tropical storms, the outcome of this world has not looked so pleasant.

Locally, incidents that have occurred in high school settings have sent parents, students, and teachers into extreme acts of caution. High school incidents rose during the summer in early August with the reporting of stabbings at Springbrook High School. This was followed by bomb threats to Springbrook High School, as well as Blake High School. On September 16, 2005 when rival high schools Northwest and Seneca Valley faced off in their weekly football games, a small incident preceding the game led to a killing. On September 23, 2005 after Blake High School and Sherwood High School faced off in their football match, a fight immediately followed, which ultimately led to the death of Rockville High School Student, Kanisha Neal. Since the September 23 incident, increased security at football games was immediately put into effect, and also caused the rival Paint Branch versus Springbrook football games to be pushed back an hour earlier. Small incidents in the high school communities seem miniscule, however, compared to the events that have for taken both nationally and globally.

By now, the country has experienced its fair share of stories involved in the massive destructions caused by hurricanes and tropical storms. From Dennis to Katrina, and now Wilma, the country’s has had enough named natural disasters to go through the alphabet, twice. On September 22, 2005, a plane landing in California had trouble landing, and eventually had to make a crash landing. Globally, the attacks on London, the ongoing War in Iraq, and then the bus bombings in Delhi do not comfort the world that is now seen to be in a state of chaos.

Put everything together, and what have you got? One frustrated world of confusion disappointment, apprehension. Now throw in some young adolescents and you’ve got and over used cliché that after these few months will never die. But were still young, and the worlds still turning, should we open up some hope? Possibly. But for now, I am going to live by another famous cliché “do or die.”