Not an avid reader? Find novels dull and difficult to focus on? This may be the event for you. Tomorrow, Wednesday February 18th. The Catalyst’s quarterly launch party, is a perfect time to start. The Catalyst a literary arts magazine founded, run and written by UCSB students of all majors, and don’t worry, none of the content is too lengthy. Tomorrow at 5pm at the Isla Vista Food Cooperative is your chance to pick up a copy!
Many of us read novels like crazy when we were younger, whether or not they were considered “quality literature”–remember The Clique Series, The Uglies, Pretties, and Specials, and what about Gossip Girl? What happened to those addicting little reads?
Think about it. You are capable of watching an intelligent show like Breaking Bad or House of Cards, and reading a book is even more exciting because the characters are entirely composed by you. This same attention paid to a television show can be applied to literature. It doesn’t matter what you read, just READ.
I mean, you’re reading this right now, aren’t you?
Reading is not only for pure entertainment; it teaches us more than we even realize. Not only does your vocabulary expand, but your communication skills and creativity will as well. These skills are crucial in the real world–articulacy is often more important in job interviews than prior experience, and thinking outside the box can increase your chances of success in your career.
Both fiction and non-fiction can induce a personal connection with the piece, helping to understand your own feelings by identifying with the situations presented. They can be comforting, enlightening, and inspiring. Reading something that speaks to you may even spur an interest in writing something yourself! The content is written by students of every major, from math to physics to history. YAY to new hobbies, right?
So. Now that you are older, and whether you believe it or not, you can still reclaim that interest in reading. up a copy of the Catalyst is a convenient way to start. The narratives are short, witty and applicable to your every day life in many ways. You might even develop an appreciation for poetry, whether you fully understand it or not.
Easy suggestions for light, yet thought-provoking reading:
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Wild by Cheryl Strayed
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Goldfinch by Donna Tarrt
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The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
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The History of Love by Nicole Krauss
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Dune by Frank Herbert
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A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
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Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
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The Stranger by Albert Camus
If none of these suggestions are motivational enough, the launch party offers LIVE MUSIC–what a perfect excuse to get that special someone to hang out with you finally.
But be sure to grab a copy of the magazine before you leave, even it’s just to flip through those pretty pictures.