Seeking out escapism can be challenging. Whether it’s merely attempting to put off a chaotic pile of documents, waiting to be approved, or simply winding down after a grueling day of school, people struggle to find outlets suitable for their lifestyle.

However, one elixir that seemingly never fails to evoke peace, according to WVHS students, is literature. Although some look at books as a collection of words jumbled into a laminated cover, others submerge themselves wholeheartedly within the story, metaphorically vacationing in an alternate world.

Lucy Neron, a junior, shared her recent acquisition of a book titled The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. Because of its release in 1905, Neron sometimes struggles with the diction components of the novel, but the entertaining aspects of the plot have stirred a passion in her to persevere.

When being asked about the attributes of reading aside from the act of doing so and how it can be beneficial, Neron said, “I’ve read so many books that they all kind of jumble into one base set of knowledge…and the more you learn about different aspects of the world, the better you can make decisions around that.”

Insomnia is among us, and like a large sum of people, Sean Sype, a junior, struggles with this to a degree. Most nights, Sype finds himself wide awake in an attempt to complete a full night of sleep.

However, he utilizes reading to induce him into a sleepy state, instantly preparing him for bed. Sype claims, “I read before I go to sleep…it helps me sleep, and it gets me tired.” 

Although reading for Sype can solely be for the benefit of his sleep cycle, he is also able to “think about the book instead of life… When I read a book, I think of myself inside the book. I imagine it as a movie,” and this notion better supplies him with the ability to fully immerse himself in a novel of his interest.

Gracelyn Julison, a sophomore and avid reader, advises aspiring readers to select a book of their interest, preferably short and preferably before bed.

She finds that this time of day can stimulate additional focus, adding that “you don’t have to worry about getting a bunch of other stuff done,” primarily focusing on the task at hand.

Since the premiere of literature to humanity, trailing back to ancient Mesopotamia, it has developed into a much larger conceptualization. From non-fiction novels about marine biology to dystopian stories that beg the question of the future of our society, it has fabricated itself into the life of WVHS students and beyond.