Thank you to those who shared their thoughts on our writing prompts this week, including students from Harrison Trimble High School in Moncton, New Brunswick; Layton High School in Layton, Utah; and Oakton High School in Vienna, Va.
Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
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Many students told us that they do still read for fun.
The last time I read a book was just a short time ago. I read A LOT … I could definitely consider myself a bookworm. Whenever I get the chance to read, I take it because of the peace it brings in an amazing world that is not my own. A world sometimes better sometimes worse than my own. Becoming one of the characters or being there with them in my mind, it is something unlike anything else. I LOVE reading. Now to make time to read more …
— Cadence, Iowa
I am part of the 14 percent that reads for fun. I like to read a more scary novel that displays the emotions that the author is trying to express. Thrillers are the best because they give dopamine to the brain for a fantastic reading experience. When I was younger, I could not sit still for very long; I always had to be doing something. So when my teachers read me books, I realized, wait, what if I read on my own and when I did that, I was so encompassed in the books that my bookwormism had just kept going and I don’t think that will ever stop. My reading has only changed through the books I read because I went from Junie B. Jones to more thrillers and scary things. My books are my rock, and I’ll forever read them.
— Kaydence, Sebring, Ohio
Reading can be very beneficial for a myriad of purposes. For example, reading can help retain attentiveness and focus. But, it can also be good for your mental health and for giving you a break from reality and the constant lull of screens. Having this moment to breathe is a calm that everyone deserves to experience. I just finished a book last Friday, and I started a new one. I really enjoyed it, and I loved to see the plot come together, and all the pieces tie together at the end. If I didn’t read this book, or finish it, I wouldn’t have been able to witness this.
— Molly, Glen Ellyn, IL
But some said that, even though they love reading, it often competes with homework, activities, part-time jobs and, yes, their phones.
I am currently almost finished reading Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. I must say it’s more challenging than the books I am used to reading, but I am thoroughly enjoying it nonetheless, probably due to my interest in philosophy. For most of my life, reading has been one of my favorite hobbies. In 5th-6th grade, I even read over 100 books in a school year. Now, it can take me several weeks or months to finish just one book. This frustrates me, but as a sophomore in high school, I unfortunately don’t have as much time for reading as I would like due to schoolwork and commitments to various extracurricular activities. I believe that increased screen time ever since I got a cellphone in 7th grade has reduced my reading speed and attention span as well. In spite of this, I try to read every day, even when various distractions are competing for my attention. I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Donahue, and it saddens me that many of my peers view reading as pointless and/or boring. Oftentimes, I look over at my classmates when we are reading, and half the people are on their phones scrolling through social media, which makes me cynical about the future of my generation.
— Natalie, Clancy, Montana
