blog post #2

It was the Fairy’s Fault

I remember when I was young, I would absolutely refuse to read anything without pictures. I would always choose the books that were either the most colorful or had the least amount of words. In Kindergarten, we were assigned these thin square-shaped colored booklets. I don’t recall what exactly they were about, but I remember that these were the first required reading that I was assigned to do. At this age, books were a tool that taught me the basic grammar rules and how to identify words, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives. The first books that drew me into reading were the Rainbow Magic fairy series. My dad would even bring me to our local Barnes and Noble the day that a fairy book would be released as I would always be waiting impatiently for each new book. Because these books were a series, the idea that each fairy had a different niche to them was what I wanted to find out the most. I would even draw some of the fairies in a sketchbook in my free time. Eventually, I had over two shelves filled with these books. The Rainbow Magic series attracted me not only because they were smaller in size and easier to read, but also, as a young girl, I was able to imagine myself as one of these fairies and go through their story. One of the books even had my name, so I remember keeping that one close to my heart and reading it over and over. As a young girl, I loved the ideology-theme life which included these fairies and imaginary creatures, because it allowed my imagination to wander and, in a sense, escape from reality.  

Around my elementary and middle school years, I started to keep up with the Percy Jackson series instead. The storyline was what really captured my attention as each book had a slightly different plot, but still they all still related to each other. The Percy Jackson series also had a magical aspect to it, similar to the Rainbow Magic series, but they also had more exciting and fast-paced adventures. Each book had its own storyline that the protagonist was going to go through. From the Rainbow Magic fairy books to the Percy Jackson series, my original intent was to read the books that were “popular.” Everyone seemed to be talking about these series, so I wanted to go along with the trend and see what they were about. The peer pressure pushed and influenced me to read books that I never would have. 

Thinking about it now, books have provided me with knowledge that my phone or textbook does not. For the past few years and continuing, technology, specifically my phone and my computer, has replaced books, as the ones I used to read lay collecting dust on my shelf. My phone and computer hold everything I read, whether it be newspaper articles or my textbooks. However, the main difference is the feeling that each gives me. Comparing books and technology to each other, books are an escape from reality as they aren’t connected to the online world, while technology is more of an “escape,” with quotes. Yes, technology allows me to “destress,” but it also does not allow me to escape from the negativity of the online world.  

When high school came along, my choice to go to Barnes and Nobles every week to read came to a diminishing stop. The required reading of more “mature” books in school consumed most of my time, and I did not feel the want to go and find new books anymore. Additionally, my AP English Language and Composition teacher worsened my opinion on reading any better as she was extremely critical and judgemental towards our writing and made us read pages for homework each night. 

Despite my hatred towards reading, I now find myself trying to journal in my free time. Writing allows me to vent everything that I am wrestling with in my mind onto paper. Sometimes, it is hard to put my feelings into words, but with writing or journaling, I am able to write down my thoughts in a unique way that I might be the only one to understand. Journaling is like this magical place that my mind wanders into as I am able to just write down all my troubles and free myself from them. The skills I’ve developed with writing in the past have not only allowed me to complete pieces of writing under pressure, but to also use writing as an outlet for reflection and a way to express my emotions.