By OLIVIA BURGER

a&l editor

If you’re reading my column this week you’re more than likely a staff member of The Gannon Knight, a Gannon faculty member or one of my many supportive relatives (shout out to you, Grandma).

If by the miraculous chance you’re actually a Gannon student who somehow stumbled upon this article, what are you doing?

Don’t you know that the student newspaper isn’t read by the students on campus?

You must either be very bored sitting someplace on campus with nothing better to do, or simply just some weirdo if you’re voluntarily reading this.

Just kidding reader, kudos to you. If you didn’t catch the bitter sarcasm above, I obviously commend whatever student is reading this column for actually taking a moment to appreciate our university’s student-produced news publication.

You are part of a very small percentage of students on this campus who takes the time to notice this work of writing that your fellow students spend hours fussing over.

I’ll even go out on a limb and say that about half of the students don’t even know that we have a student newspaper, which is very depressing for someone like me who puts a lot of effort into this publication.

So, the fact that you even know this exists, you picked up this issue and you’re still listening to me complain makes you the real MVP.

It’s really no surprise that the newspaper is a forgotten feature of Gannon’s campus when you consider the way our generation communicates.

If something isn’t showcased on a screen or found somewhere online, you can assume that not very many young people are going to see it.

Print newspapers are undoubtedly a dying form of communication, but sometimes even the content we post online hardly gets any views or general appreciation.

This is a shame because small news organizations, student news organizations in particular, are sometimes the only way to gain certain relevant and local information.

You can find national and global news stories from a number of big-name newspapers and media outlets, but when it comes to finding information specifically related to Gannon, it basically comes down to the marketing department and The Gannon Knight.

Students should also read the newspaper because it is for the students, written by the students.

Your friends, co-workers and classmates put time and effort into writing stories each week for YOU to read.

Why not take a five-minute break to read what your peers are writing? I promise you it will cause you no harm aside from the bit of news ink that will end up on your hand.

With everything happening in the world today, I think students should attempt to be educated and make conscious decisions to be informed – starting on a local level at your university.

So, if you’re a student and you’re still following along with me, I beg you: don’t stop here.

Read on to better yourself and better your university because there is truly no disadvantage in being informed.

OLIVIA BURGER
[email protected]