Gannon University just recently observed its second  Unity Week, a week specifically tailored to urge groups on campus to connect and collaborate together.

From what we’ve heard here at The Knight, the week’s activities were not too well-attended, which is unfortunate, to say the least.

First, it’s very frustrating for student leaders and groups who organize such events to spend their otherwise-free time planning something students don’t care for.

What’s equally frustrating, and frankly mind-boggling, is that the event, like many other events on campus, lacked attendance at a time when all students seem to complain about is the lack of interactive campus activities.

The fact that events on campus are ill-attended don’t reflect on their planning, but speak more of the students’ disinterest in participating in them. On a small campus like Gannon’s, any “semi-exciting” event should actually be welcomed with anticipation, even if it doesn’t “sound” too interesting.

The fact is, what makes an event interesting is not the activities planned in it, but the people who attend it.

It is very easy for idle students to sit on their couches among their friends and complain about the lack of effort campus organizations put in to foster a unified spirit on campus, but it’s a lot harder being on the other side of that equation.

The planning part is not even the worst one – no, it’s that lingering doubt that perhaps, after all this effort, students would still not show up.

That’s why many organizations resort to more forecful methods to gain attendance, by offering academic or Greek credit for it.

Unifying a resisting body of students becomes harder when students themselves would not partake.