It’s another day of lectures and forgotten assignments, I step into the Arts building, the afternoon sun follows, lighting up the area, a sweet, pleasant smell greets me as I enter, I take a quick glance towards it’s direction, my eyes meet with tables filled with baked goods and sweet treats, my moving feet confirm a closer inspection is required, hopeful that something will appeal to my sweet tooth. Puppy chow, a new find, curiosity leads me to learn about a delicious, homemade sweet. Further down I notice some activist groups, posters and leaflets presented with topics of a newer generation, and one that catches my eye, “Free Palestine”, words that I was familiar with, but never really took the time to understand, and unsurprisingly, didn’t bother this time either, luckily, close by is my favourite hot chocolate spot on campus, one of my more frequent indulgences.

Fast forward ten years later, to today, and most of the world, including myself, is aware of the importance of the words “Free Palestine”. As I am writing this, I think about the so called “butterfly effect”, I think about what would have happened if I had taken a moment to learn and care about something other than my privileged, student life? Would it have stopped the mass atrocities currently taking place in Palestine? The answer is, we will never know, but I refuse to let the past repeat itself.

In this time of awakening, a time where you and I are capable of great influence, capable of making an impact, capable of creating monumental change, don’t allow your comfortability to create a façade, if the rights of another are allowed to be taken, who’s to say that one day yours won’t be?

Use your voice, be the media.