On Monday, Kenyon held its annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Dialogue. After a shortened day of classes, students were encouraged by their peers, professors and faculty to attend the keynote address, given by returning Kenyon alum Patrick D. Jones ’93. Yet the talk, held in sizable Rosse Hall, was not well attended. Unfortunately, this is a recurring pattern. 

We get it — it’s cold, the assignments are piling up and sitting through yet another lecture can be a tall order after a day of classes (shortened or not). But showing up to events like the Day of Dialogue keynote is a relatively easy way to stay attuned to the community. Speaking from personal experience, we can confirm that it is sometimes the events you feel the least like attending that are the most impactful. 

Throughout my time at Kenyon, I (Sacha) have been to a fair few extra-credit-eligible guest lectures in half-empty auditoriums across campus. They often took place at times I would rather have been doing something else, and, full disclosure, I complained (often and loudly) about having to carve out time to sit through what I saw as another class meeting. But, of course, the talks I swore up and down were a waste of my time have consistently been fascinating, timely and deeply worth the free hour I gave up to attend. Pushing through the initial unpleasantness of making room in a busy schedule is valuable — and it’s the Kenyon thing to do!

During my tenure as the Collegian’s arts editor, I (Dorothy) went to a truly absurd amount of artsy-fartsy events. I’ve seen plays at the Bolton, Hill, Harlene Marley and Gund Community Foundation Theaters. I’m intimately familiar with the quirks of all 10 of Kenyon’s a cappella groups. While I’ll freely admit that the period of my life where I had to attend these events and write the subsequent article each week was incredibly stressful and exhausting in the moment, I look back on it with gratitude. Being constantly immersed in the Kenyon community’s diverse array of creative talent made my life so much richer, exposing me to art and music I never would have encountered otherwise.

With snow gusts and wind chills below zero on Monday, even walking from Chalmers Library to Rosse felt like a trek. Yet, Jones’ MLK Day talk was illuminating and thought-provoking, worth every one of my (Micah’s) 100 or so steps. As important as the talk’s substance was, simply the physical act of getting off your butt and making the effort to better yourself is equally as satisfying and important. I could also say that failing to go to these events is a failure to support your peers. The Chamber Singers and POCapella, as well as the students that helped lead the day’s breakout sessions, prepare for and care about these events that you don’t attend. But really, you only hurt yourself. 

We want to make it crystal clear that once you graduate, you will likely never have the opportunity to attend this many academic and artistic programs, and for free, again. Attending these events is a true privilege, but also an obligation, to your community and to yourself. So why not add one more resolution to 2026: Go to something! Anything!

Sincerely,

Sacha, Dorothy and Micah

The staff editorial is written by Editors-in-Chief Sacha Franjola ’26 and Dorothy Yaqub ’26 and Executive Director Micah Arenstein ’26. You can contact them at franjola1@ kenyon.edu, yaqub1@kenyon.edu and arenstein1@kenyon.edu.