OPINION: After Paris terrorism we should continue to be active on campus

By Joshua Rom, of Nottingham University

It’s a new year, and I feel as though it is sort of a new start.

Nottingham JSoc held elections for the new committee before the Christmas break and I have come back to Nottingham for the first time since the first term of my first year not being JSoc Publicity Officer.

That is a very weird feeling it was such a big part of my life last year because as UJS describes; it is like having a full time job on campus, except the only difference is I wasn’t fired. It’s a transitional system year after year and it’s the way the society works.

I could very easily reflect on my year as publicity officer, the ups and the downs, the stressed out parts but I feel as though I should just let it go as it’s now in the past and this point of this article is looking towards the future.  Although I have to say that I have learnt a lot about myself because of the society and working with the committee as we have shared a lot of moments both hilarious and cringe worthy together and I can honestly say I have made some of the best friends I have ever had on the committee. This is one of the reasons why I feel so safe on campus is because people that I know will be there for me, as I will to them.  I will always be thankful to the opportunity and experiences JSoc and UJS has given me and I wish nothing but the best of luck to my successor.

But I feel there are more important issues to reflect on. Although the Charlie Hebdo massacre and the supermarket hostage situation in Paris ware true tragedies, I feel as though it has united us all.

Not only have I seen images of unity in the press but also I can sense that on campus, whether Jewish, Christian or Muslim, we are all united against this one cause, the fight against terrorism. Everyone is talking about and condemning this horrific act committed by the terrorists and I whole-heartedly agree. But I do feel that although we certainly should both mourn the victims, we have to keep life going as normal.

The situation is very frightening, but I have to make sure I am protected, this horrific event has only encouraged me to be just as active as I would normally be.

I will keep producing and presenting for NSTV (Nottingham Student Television) and I will try to say involved in JSoc as much as I can and this tragic event has certainly not stopped me wanting to attend Friday Night Dinners. In my own way, I feel that keeping active within the student community and doing what I love to do, is standing up to the terrorists.

I feel as if we as a community stop, we will be giving into their threat. The phrase “actions speak louder than words” couldn’t be more appropriate. Showing that we are united in mourning the victims but living life is the most powerful action of all that shouts a much more prominent message, that we are united against this threat no matter what religion, faith or ethnicity.