Students read many textbooks, novels, and poems during the school year, but many students also read for pleasure. Elementary and Middle School libraries often host summer reading challenges to keep little kids engaged in bucks throughout the summer months, and even as high schoolers, many people still continue to spend the summer reading.

While traveling Europe, Junior, Mandy Russell, read two books on her three-week trip. “When I was in Europe, I got to read so much because we were always moving from place to place on long train rides. I love reading on trains in the summer because the scenery is so beautiful, and the cabin cars are really quiet. It was a great reading environment,” She states while shedding light on her preferred reading environment. 

Part of what makes reading so popular in the summer is that it’s a great way to pass the time, especially while on vacation. Whether it be on planes, trains, or in the car, reading not only entertains the mind during down time, but can sharpen one’s brain and instigate critical thinking and imagination. 

Sophomore Onika Hernandez read 4 books this summer including: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi and The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. 

“I like reading because it puts me into different worlds and changes my perspective on things,” Hernandez illustrates. Reading encourages people to look at various viewpoints, which is an important skill for students to acquire throughout their education and even beyond.

Reading may not be every student’s preferred summer activity, but the sunny days can insinuate enjoyable settings for student readers, sending them to a still space of relaxation and curiosity. 

Some students such as Junior Vivian Ward, read even more during the summer than while in the typical school year, because there is more time to sit and dive into books like the Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath, and The Sandman Preludes and Nocturnes by Neil Gaiman. 

While reading can be connotated with studying or analyzing, it’s a true form of leisure enjoyed by thousands of people. Summer may set the perfect scene for students to catch up on all the books piling on reading bucket-lists, but this hobby should also be carried on as the school year begins.