Recreational reading: casualty of classwork?
Dalton Boland
Issue date: 3/10/10 Section: The Edge
Since birth, we have been assaulted with campaigns promoting reading. Whether the message is drawn from a motivational poster in the library or a "The More You Know" ad where Tiki Barber explains how reading has helped his athletic career, the significance remains the same. Reading is always a positive experience.
Despite this widely known fact, it seems like fewer and fewer people read for recreation. Let's face it; a percent of Western Illinois University's student population spent more time discussing "Jersey Shore" than any work of literature this semester.
Though it seems ridiculous, some have probably even spent more time rigorously "fist-pumping."
Of course, this consistently escalating stereotype shouldn't represent all students. Through an admittedly limited survey across campus, almost all students said they enjoy reading, while only about a quarter of that group claimed to do more than two hours of recreational reading a week.
"I don't really read many novels, but I do read articles from magazines and Web sites. Between classes and other responsibilities, I don't have a lot of time left over for fiction, so I focus on what's important for me and my major," said Taylor Gregory, sophomore exercise science major.
The obstacle of time proves to be galling for many students to overcome. In fact, time constraints were nearly the only feedback people were willing to give to rationalize their habits.
No one claimed to dislike reading; it's just a lower priority in the daily operations of a student seeking higher education.
"I don't [read] as much as I should," said Mallory Steach, sophomore elementary education major. "There are just too many other things to do everyday."
However, plenty of students jumped at the opportunity to discuss literature as if the subject is repressed from daily conversation.
Peter Shimp, sophomore history major, reads "about two hours a day, unless something interrupts it. I recently decided to take a break from videogames and that opened up a lot of time. I mostly read biographies, historical texts, some books about pop culture and some political works. I'm just trying to get more informed on the periods of history that interest me."
Despite this widely known fact, it seems like fewer and fewer people read for recreation. Let's face it; a percent of Western Illinois University's student population spent more time discussing "Jersey Shore" than any work of literature this semester.
Though it seems ridiculous, some have probably even spent more time rigorously "fist-pumping."
Of course, this consistently escalating stereotype shouldn't represent all students. Through an admittedly limited survey across campus, almost all students said they enjoy reading, while only about a quarter of that group claimed to do more than two hours of recreational reading a week.
"I don't really read many novels, but I do read articles from magazines and Web sites. Between classes and other responsibilities, I don't have a lot of time left over for fiction, so I focus on what's important for me and my major," said Taylor Gregory, sophomore exercise science major.
The obstacle of time proves to be galling for many students to overcome. In fact, time constraints were nearly the only feedback people were willing to give to rationalize their habits.
No one claimed to dislike reading; it's just a lower priority in the daily operations of a student seeking higher education.
"I don't [read] as much as I should," said Mallory Steach, sophomore elementary education major. "There are just too many other things to do everyday."
However, plenty of students jumped at the opportunity to discuss literature as if the subject is repressed from daily conversation.
Peter Shimp, sophomore history major, reads "about two hours a day, unless something interrupts it. I recently decided to take a break from videogames and that opened up a lot of time. I mostly read biographies, historical texts, some books about pop culture and some political works. I'm just trying to get more informed on the periods of history that interest me."
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