The archetypal high school is known to many as a plethora of cliques; jocks, nerds, preps, fashionistas, and everything in between. This idea of high school is highlighted in movies such as Mean Girls and 21 Jump Street, but in reality it’s quite the opposite. In light of such a tragic event, Langley has come together as a whole.

When I checked Facebook in recent days I was met with many, touching accounts of this tragic event. When reading the various posts, I felt touched to know that even people that did not personally know the people involved in the tragedy were posting messages that involved ideas of prayer and compassion. It set off a trend, and soon many students at Langley began posting on Facebook, sharing their thoughts of the recent tragedy.

The Langley community has reacted with remorse and compassion. On Wednesday this week, despite a two hour delay, halls were filled with students all dressed in black honoring the students that have passed away. Students felt comfort in meeting with a crisis team in order to find more comfort in the very dreary, quiet atmosphere of Langley.

From my bus I saw friends hugging friends, comforting each other in a time of need, when normally I see people rushing to get on their bus or drive out of Langley to beat the buses. Students took the time to be there for each other and support friends in distress. In a matter of days, the Langley community has completely transformed. One day I noticed students rushing to their buses not being mindful of each other, but suddenly things were slowed down, we took the time to walk with each other and were willing to give a sincere hug to those that felt overcome with emotion. In a beautiful way, Langley went from being a very divided school to a school that really isn’t a school, but is now a family.