I’ve never been one for fight songs, I’ll admit it.

Hearing the Wilmington High School fight song before games never really did anything for me and that really didn’t change when I came here to NIU. I don’t even know if I remember all the words to the Huskie Fight Song.

The Feb. 14 shootings, however, brought new meaning to that song. For the first time I can remember, a fight song was uplifting and moving. “Forward, Together Forward” was more than just a battle cry on the gridiron. It was the rallying cry and motivation for a campus in mourning.

One year later that same “Forward, Together Forward” has defined this campus’ efforts and strength after a great tragedy. The sports world has always played a big part in healing from tragedies.

After Sept. 11, there was no better scene than the American flag in the outfield at Yankee Stadium. It was heartwarming. In the case of NIU, it played the same role. I remember opening up the Northern Star and seeing the first basketball game at the Convocation Center afterward.

Both teams were standing around the center court logo holding hands prior to the game. It wasn’t about competition at that moment; it was about healing and being human.

As fans we have always looked to the world of sports to escape from a number of different things whether it be personal problems or just a day out of the office. We were no different on campus.

The sports world provided some of the most touching examples of humanity all over the country.

Students at Marquette University honored NIU at a home basketball game on ESPN. The Chicago Bulls, White Sox and Blackhawks all wore NIU warm-up shirts, hats and patches respectively.

The Chicago Cubs flew an NIU flag on the first base side of the grandstand for the entire 2008 season, something which I felt personally grateful for to see it unveiled live on Opening Day. I still get goosebumps thinking about that.

Our consistent supporters from Virginia Tech even turned to their athletes to help get the message out, that they too were by this campus’ side. Without their show of support, we would have undoubtedly delayed the healing process by some length of time.

I personally felt like the healing process was near completion when the Huskies took the field at Huskie Stadium in September versus Indiana State, and routed the Sycamores 48-3.

The game embodied the effort this campus put forth in the eight months prior: striving for togetherness, becoming one and being victorious. Twenty-thousand people chanting “N-I-U” gave me that same feeling I felt at Opening Day.

Sports may not have been the healing point for us all, but it was an escape and a return to normalcy for many of us on campus. The Huskie Fight Song was and still is being heard loud and clear at NIU.

“Forward, Together Forward.”