When it comes to thinking about the school year, one thing all students dread is textbooks. However, students shouldn’t have to hate reading. Mrs. Gosnell, HHS’s librarian, states that she loves reading because she can “give her brain a time to rest- to go into a fictional world and escape from reality for a little bit.“ Reading should be an enjoyable experience for all people despite their circumstances. School should not dictate stress levels; students should have at least one way to relieve that built-up stress.
Reading isn’t just a fun pastime, but it is also beneficial. Reading helps students in all their school subjects. Mrs. Gosnell stated, “Teachers that influence independent reading in the classroom have better test scores than teachers that don’t. Reading has a positive effect on everything.” The more you read, the better you become. The faster readers can take in more information about subjects in school. Reading also gets kids off mobile devices, providing mental breaks from social media. Research done by the Frankenmuth District Library found that books are a great way to unwind, and reading outside provides added benefits: “Reading in a park for just 30 minutes can increase self-esteem.”
Furthermore, researchers believe that combining fresh air and sunlight results in better sleep at night and more energy throughout the day. There is a challenge introducing students to the joy of reading, but that can be conquered by finding the best genre and authors to encourage creativity. Reading is a great pastime and useful for finding people who share the same interests as you. There is currently a book club at HHS, you can contact Mrs. Gosnell or Mrs. Vierow for more details.
