One of my favorite (said sarcastically) features of NU homepage is the robbery alert. Every time I log on and see some warning about theft and assault in blazing red I feel something flutter in my heart. That would be fear.
 
This is what I found this morning:
 
A robbery occurred Friday night at the 7-Eleven store near campus in Evanston. At approximately 9:35 p.m. March 7, 2008, a man entered the store at 817 Emerson St. and implied he had a weapon. He then took money from the cash register and fled.
 
No members of the Northwestern community were injured or involved in the incident.
 
The man was described as black, approximately 30 years old, stocky build, 6 feet tall, weighing approximately 200 pounds and wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans and black gym shoes.
 
The Northwestern University Police Department advises all community members to be alert when traveling on or off campus, especially at night. The Northwestern shuttle bus service provides transportation to areas both on and off campus every night until 3 a.m. In addition, the campus escort service provides free rides at night.
 
Report suspicious activity immediately to University Police at 847-491-3254 or the Evanston Police at 847-866-5000. In emergencies, dial 911.
 
This is why I need a plastic bubble in which to roll around– gerbilstyle. Barring that solution, what else can we do to protect ourselves? Granted, the event described above is not the worst crime to happen on a college campus (just read and the news and you’ll see), but it’s another reminder that no place is sacred, and no place is safe.
 
That’s a weird thought for me, the girl who grew up in a small town in CT where the wannabe anarchist kids are the biggest problem. Still, they don’t even do much of anything, except stand around the idyllic downtown, marring the scenery with their mohawks and oddly tight pants. (Everything comes late to Mystic, even love for the Sex Pistols).
 
When I came to Chicago, I had to develop my zombie face. You know the one– no expression, dead eyes, slightly furrowed brow. You stop trusting people. You start ignoring things. Is this the best solution? Do we have to be dead to the world in order to survive it? What do you think?