Students at Virginia Tech return to classes today as prayer and memorial services are held across the United States in memory of 32 people massacred last week.
The university is allowing students to drop classes without penalty or to accept their current grades if they want to spend the rest of the year at their parents' homes following last week's killings in which Seung-Hui Cho shot dead 32 people and himself.
The day will be marked with services in memory of those who died. Prayers were said at the National Cathedral in Washington during a special evening service.
Students are expected to gather at 7.15am today near the dormitory where the first victims, Ryan Clark and Emily Hilscher, were killed.
A moment of silence is planned for 9.45 am to coincide with the time of the second shooting. A minute later, the bell will toll 32 times as 32 white balloons are released from the field below.
The campus is covered with memorials and tributes to the students, including flowers, writings and candles.