Article by Sydney Loder
The action of reading is often one people take to help relax or decompress if they are having a stressful day, or if they simply want an escape for a few moments. This makes where we read vitally important. When people choose somewhere to read, it is most likely that they want to find a place that they feel is comfortable, quiet, and focusing. These places could range from a specific couch within ones' home, to the local café, library, or park. Whatever place it might be, it is important to note that environments have a huge effect on the information we take in and process. This is why it is so important for every reader to find their place.
Here in the Roanoke, Virginia, I have asked multiple students where their favorite place to read is, hopefully it will give you some ideas as well. To start off, my favorite place to read is the beach, sadly it is six hours away, but it never ceases to calm me and bring up the want to read from within me. Student and avid book reviewer, Cara Butler exclaimed, "My favorite place to read is my house because it's quiet and allows me a moment for my imagination to explore the world within the book and run wild." After talking to multiple other students, it was decided that other great places to read included window seats, nooks, and on hammocks. Jameson Vaughn said, "I love to read in hammocks because of the relaxation and peace they allow me to have while reading and connecting with the outdoors."
Not only do students have places they love to read, teachers do as well. To start off, Logan Boyd detailed that if he were to read, it would most likely be on a lazy boy recliner, in a quiet room, where he could kick back his feet and relax. Athletic director, Jason Murray said, "When I go on a camping trip, I find that I enjoy reading while being in the presence of nature, it adds a relaxing presence." Librarian, Wendy Stone exclaimed that, "My favorite place to read would probably be in bed because it's comfy and cozy while allowing me an insular space where I don't have to worry about what is going on around me."
The common theme among each of these places is that they all provide an area of relaxation, peace, and comfortableness. One remark that almost everyone said when answering the question, where is your favorite place to read and why, is that they didn't like places that had noise or became distracting. In order to enjoy a book, its important that you are able to focus on it and understand what's going on. Next time you go to read, look around yourself, ask why you are there, and you might realize that the book isn't your only form of an escape, so is the place.
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