Today... was not a nice April Fools' Day.

I woke up at 4 in the morning with the most unpleasant news. I was woken because I forgot to switch my phone to silent mode and it was beeping like crazy, and when I saw the texts and the date I didn't know what to think. And my Facebook was notifying me of panicked messages and posts from my professors and friends in dormitories.

I first thought it was a very elaborate plan to trick people, but when I found out pretty much everybody I know were saying the same thing, and they don't even know all the people I know, I knew it was shit serious.

Do you know what happened before dawn in my place?

Our university faculty center caught on fire. Important books dating pre-WW1, research on all branches of humanities conducted by past and present students and professors, records of graduating students finally getting to walk down the carpet with that good music, books both new and old, were burned down. The entire building was almost razed to the ground. My own projects, my hard work on a gallery earlier March is just ash now. I am proud of that thing! I spent so much time to make sure those were done correctly and put up correctly. That thing was my brightest shining moment in my entire life. Graduates from two entire colleges are now panicking, now that their official graduation records have been taken away in the fire.

You know what's painful? It had to happen when everything had to be doubted because it was frickin' April Fools' Day.

Imagine the shock of students and professors alike to find out it was hell serious, and to think that we had to doubt if a building full of legacy from the 1900's was burnt down by "faulty wiring".

There were no pranks played today. Today is the death of a legacy, and it's not funny.

If no fire happened to raze my home colleges (I consider two colleges my home), I would have still participated in an awesome pranking spree with a bunch of buddies. Some of you know that I once took up the God of Mischief schtick as partially a reflection of my prankster side, but now I feel like it's gone. But, well, it happened. When I was on the way to school, I happened to see the blackened exteriors of the faculty center. It was still on fire when I got there, and it was heartwrenching to see the German Exchange Service library burnt, the third and fourth floors collapsed, stuff like that.

Gosh, I'm so sad today I feel like crying. That old building is where us students would participate in the biannual Hunger Games for units, it's where my buddies and I chill when it's raining or if the sun is having a good time roasting people alive, and it's where students do simple tasks like pass papers, eat in the canteen, and walk around.

Do not take everything for granted. When the day comes that suddenly something is gone, everything isn't the same again. For me, there's no more "please take care of my things, I just need to pass my papers in the FC" or "hey guys! Let's go in FC and cool off/take shelter!" or "wanna buy some bland food in the FC basement canteen?". I took those things for granted, and look, a fire. I never thought this would happen all of a sudden.

I also resent this day, for I thought this entire thing was just an elaborate prank that started 4 in the morning. It's heartbreaking to know something you hoped was a joke is, in fact, true.

 

I am deeply sorry for this; I really do hope no one was hurt. I've never had an experience like this, but I know it must be devastating. Condolences go out to all of your fellow schoolmates.

 

That is really a shame, I'm really sorry about this. Its weird how it is on April fools day though.