Just when we thought we were safe, Paris slapped us all in the face. The news about the attacks spread like lightning across the globe and with it spread a fresh punch of terror. There are some who have this fear confronting them right outside their front door while there are others who experience this fear through television screens, newspapers and social media. However, all of these people have one commonality in their situation, and this is the decision of how to cope with fear.

   Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. No matter how different one individual is from another, every person has experienced some kind of fear. When circumstances force fear into our minds we are presented with an important choice. Will Smith once said, “fear is not real. It is a product of the thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice.”

   There is not one student at LHS who is unaware of the horrific and tragic events that took place in Paris. Terrorism holds the very word terror and causes panic and chaos to ensue in the places it occurs. In a city like Paris where terrorism is rare, the attacks caused many people to feel an intense shock and unease in their wake. Members of the staff felt that terrorist attacks like these tend to give new strength to the feelings of anxiety and suspicion already present after the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers or the Boston Marathon bombing.

   Staff members unanimously agreed that although this nagging fear and anxiety is perfectly normal, it should not control the lives of students at LHS. Many teachers agreed with the staff, one teacher pointed out that fear can be paralyzing and living a life of constant paranoia means one isn’t living much of a life at all. Another Bell staffer pointed out there are many different ways that a person could deal with fear the wrong way, one of these being to turn a blind eye to what is occurring. People should recognize what is going on around them, but keep the emotions surrounding these situations from taking over their lives.

   A teacher also mentioned that this kind of paralyzing fear can also occur in the everyday life of a student. When a student allows fear of failure to become paralyzing at school, it can have a harsh impact on their GPA. Another teacher added to this perspective, mentioning there are many things outside of our control, but if we constantly try to fight back against the things we cannot control rather than focusing on the things we can control, we begin to allow fear to rule our lives.

   While fear is a commonly felt emotion, there are many methods of coping with it and keep it from controlling our lives. One staff member suggested that it is incredibly important to continue doing the things we love and enjoy even in the face of our worry and uneasiness. Several staff members recalled instances where citizens of Paris pledged to fight against terrorism with kindness, setting their fear to the side in place of the effort to make the world a better place. The staff admired that despite having this tragic situation at their doorstep that many citizens of Paris are still finding a way to keep fear from consuming them.

   The staff concluded that even in the wake of tragic events, it is incredibly important to keep anxiety and concern out of the center of our lives.