The suburban sniper has struck fear in the hearts of Washington, D.C., area residents and while so far no attacks have come close to the university, students here are not immune to the terror caused by 10 deaths in the last three weeks. Several students returned home over fall break Oct. 18, 19 and 20 to see towns swarming with police officers, old high schools closed down and people walking in zigzag patterns.

"I'm not ashamed to say that I was scared out of my mind," senior Jessica Tretler said. Tretler went home Oct. 18 to Alexandria, Va., about 10 minutes outside of D.C. "I wasn't sure that things would be noticeably different, but they were."

"You can see it in everyone's eyes," Tretler said. "It has especially affected my mother, who travels to malls for her job, several of which are in Montgomery County, where the first five shootings happened. She's definitely concerned and is doing the best she can to cope while still carrying on with her job. She realizes that her job is something she has to do, but not a day goes by where she doesn't think 'I could be next.'"

Tretler said she observed what would normally be considered strange behavior that has become common in the D.C. area ¯ people sprint into grocery stores, constantly scan their surroundings and crouch behind their cars at gas stations.

Junior Gary Wheeler did not end up going home over break. But his house, in Silver Spring, Md., is two traffic lights away from where the Oct. 22 shooting of the bus driver occurred, in the Aspen Hill neighborhood.

"It's been hard to concentrate," Wheeler said. "I worry about my little brother and sister going to school and my parents going to work. They have to go through their daily routine with the thought in the back of their heads that there is a sick individual preying on innocent people."

Freshman Jade Holmes was disappointed to find that upon arriving in her hometown of Bowie, Md., her former high school homecoming game was cancelled.

Her home is just minutes away from the ninth shooting at the middle school Oct. 7.

"All homecoming activities that were supposed to be held outdoors were cancelled," she said. "So was recess at the elementary school. There are usually kids playing in the streets in my neighborhood, but this weekend, the streets were empty." Holmes admitted to constantly keeping her "head on swivel," but had to keep going because "faith and fear can't coexist."

Freshman Cotelia Bond-Young agreed, but said, "You can't completely change your daily routine. Still, it's in the back of everyone's minds." Bond-Young visited her family in Landover, Md. She also noticed people "zigzagging" on the street and saw empty football fields where practices are usually held for the local schools.

A three-page letter found at the scene of the shooting in Ashland, Va. on Oct.19 revealed that the writer claimed to have contacted authorities six times, only to be hung up on. Authorities are now urging the sniper to call them back.

"This situation has really messed things up in my area," Tretler said. "I can't wait till they nail this guy."