Grieving times.

  On Monday, around noon, I was walking back to my room when I received a notification from a group chat.

  "Does anyone know what happened…? There's a police line…with about 10 police."

  In a few moments I was able to understand what she was talking about: once I arrived at my dorm, there was a police van outside, with many people standing around the lobby.

  In the hours after that, more information continued to be revealed.

  First that a girl in the dorm had been missing for five days.

  And soon after, another devastating news: A body had been found in the said missing person's room.

  One of my fellow classmates here on exchange from the US as well was now dead.

  A police report concluded that the death was due to natural causes. While this puts to rest the chilling thoughts of suicide or foul play, the weight of the tragedy still remains.

  For me, I can't help but to deeply sympathize for the family members. In Nigerian culture, there are few things that are considered as bad of an omen as having to bury your child. As my mother put it: "Imagine…they send their daughter off on a plane with suitcases, and she comes back in a body bag…"

  Here at Yonsei, we will be continuing to pay our respects in the wake of this terribly unfortunate incident, and I ask that you also keep the family of my former classmate in your thoughts as they endure their loss.