Delaying Survive the Gait

have exams but rather final essays instead.

OnJan. 17, Survive the Gait was postponed from its original date, Jan. 21, to March 18.

This delay, while entirely understandable based on the cause, has pushed Survive the Gait to a tumultuous time in the semester. Now, Survive the Gait will occur from March 18-23, just a little more than two weeks before the end of classes. This places a greater strain on students who have exams closer to the final day of classes. By having Survive the Gait so close to the final day of classes, students have less time during a pivotal point in the semester to prepare for exams. For students in the humanities, this date is largely inconsequential, since they are less likely to

It must be said, however, that there is not a clear alternative that works better than the dates presented. An earlier week would overlap with midterms, and a later week would be even more overbearing on the exam period. Overlapping with the March break does provide an opportunity for a week that does not explicitly overlap with class. However, this does not account for any assignments due after March break. It would involve weaker engagement from the student population (since many students will be off campus), and if the contestants do not need to attend class it compromises the difficulty of the competition.

As a potential contestant, I believe that the choice of dates seems reasonable due to how busy the semester gets after March break. Yet, this schedule does feel slightly imbalanced in favor of liberal arts students. My own semester has few exams so it does feel like I have a leg up over any contestants in STEM.

One glowing positive that comes from this delay is more favora ble weather for potential outdoor competitions. For the previous edition of Survive the Gait, found on YouTube, there were some challenges that were particularly brutal due to weather conditions. Laying in the snow and the scavenger hunt were far more challenging as a result of the cold. The presence of warmer weather might bring a more diverse group of challenges.

I believe that this change in date is the best choice as a result of the more versatile weather as well as the most forgiving week possible for students. While it obviously favors students in the humanities, this seems to be the most equitable date available before the end of the semester.

Owen Kitzan, Sports Editor » thecampus.sports@gmail.com