I am constantly perplexed by those who do not share my passion for reading. I aspire to be like the independent women in Jane Austen novels, delight in the witticisms of Mark Twain, devour epic masterpieces like Les Miserables, and simply love the feel of a book in my hand. There is a rich kind of magic that surrounds reading, yet so many of my friends despise it. I am not surprised when a majority of these individuals have only read in the setting of a classroom, with a teacher up in front, whisking all the wonderment away. Even I, an active bookworm, have rarely enjoyed a “classroom” text. I find the choices of literature and frame of discussion disheartening. In a society that claims to promote knowledge through the power of literature, we have raised a generation that doesn’t hate reading itself, but the best aspects of it. We have replaced exhilarating exploration and adventure in the literary world with memorization of what a teacher or scholar had to say. We have all had those teachers who assign us a book to read, and then make us take a test on it. Especially frustrating are those tests like the ones an English teacher at my high school gave that chastised students’ opinions. With a system such as this, is it any wonder fewer and fewer students pick up a book and read?
We college students face both the strain of required reading and the stress of many activities. Even if we want to read, we likely don’t have the time. In my communications class, the professor asked when we each last read for fun; while my answer was just a couple days ago, most others who raised their hands had last read over the summer, when they had more freedom to do so. When we all spend our days staring at textbooks, absorbing more words, it is often the last thing on our lists. Over the course of high school, I could feel my passion for literature dwindle. Around senior year I decided I needed to make time for the thing I love most, which in my opinion, provides an education and experience that surpasses your everyday textbook. An additional blessing that year came from my composition teacher, who allowed us to choose our own individual novels, plays, and poems. Wednesday reading days became my sanctuary, where I could explore the literary world in, for once, a truly safe classroom setting.
Throughout this next week, as you do homework, study, write essays, and balance your hectic college life, remember to make time for the things you love. Furthermore, I encourage you to make time for reading. As Fernando Pessoa writes, “Literature is the most agreeable way of ignoring life”. Take a ride on the Hogwarts express, or relive the life of your favorite band through a biography; there is truly something for anyone. If you don’t love reading, give it a shot. Our Pearson Library is shelved with everything from new releases to must-reads. If you are an avid reader feeling dismayed, fall back in love with your favorite novel. Carpe librum.