By Isabelle Callan – Contributor

With the end of the winter semester comes disappointing news; Survive the Gait has been canceled. Despite the strong support the event received during its announcement, the event has slowly faded into a possibility for next year. Survive the Gait was postponed closer to the end of classes, potentially damaging the ability for students to participate if they have exams around this period. 

I had the pleasure of speaking with a few candidates on March 20 about the cancellation. In an interview with a potential candidate, Colin Ahern, he stated: “We were informed that it was canceled due to a lack of participants. The SRC expressed some interest in compensating those of us who didn’t cancel. Honestly, I’m just glad they’ve offered to keep our spots for next year and I’m excited to do my best when the opportunity arrives to play.” 

Survive the Gait’s unforeseeable delays may have been a disappointment for students, but with more time to plan and an extra year of candidates, when it does arrive, it will be an unforgettable experience. Similarly, this will allow the event to take place at a time of year that is more suitable for students, since it will be farther from the exam period. 

This cancellation provides a good opportunity to review some potential issues that Survive the Gait in 2019. For example, the challenges where students had to be outside with minimal clothing, which can be viewed in episode three of the series on YouTube, posed a health and safety concern. This makes one wonder if this sort of challenge will either be scrapped, or that the event will take place during a different time of year in the future. Personally, I believe that early in the fall semester would be an ideal time for Survive the Gait because of fair weather, a lighter course load, and high student engagement. Fall semesters can be perceived as easier than winter semesters in course difficulty. This makes it an ideal time to host events that overlap with classes.

Regardless of any changes that are coming, this cancellation is disheartening for students. This event is an absolute fan favorite and promises experiences that can only be found at Bishop’s. I believe I speak for all students on campus when I say that we eagerly await to see how the event takes shape in the coming school year.