Every year students are assigned books to read that follow lessons for the upcoming year. Usually they are books that students wouldn’t read willingly, but once actually read, have life lessons to follow.
These books get students prepared for what kind of reading they will be doing in class. It prepares them for what’s ahead and what work will be done. Assigned books are essential for the class, and they’re there to help students. But, for students themselves, it’s usually a dread. Summer is their time to get away from schoolwork, a break, because, you know, it’s summer break. It’s their time to relax, and possibly do other things instead of reading a book.
For AICE General Papers, students are required to read 1984 by, George Orwell. When seeing that I had to read it, I must admit, I groaned. At the time I wanted to read The Heroes of Olympus, something I actually wanted to spend my time reading. But, the book was assigned so there was no way around it. I had to read the book. But, from what I knew about it, there was a good reason to read it, so I did.
Starting off the school year with a bad grade isn’t what I wanted, or what anyone would want, so reading assigned books is the best thing to do. I started the book in the middle of the summer to get it over with, and saw the lesson it was teaching. It helped me be able to write the essay that followed, and answer questions in class. Even though it wasn’t a book I’d normally read, it was a good thing I read it in the end.
Assigned summer reading is something that isn’t suppose to be enjoyable, if it is yay for you, but it is a something that needs to be read regardless. It’s never going to go away if you just let the book the sit, and it’ll just haunt during the school year. Reading the assigned book is the best way to go- you can always go read something you actually want to read, right after you’re done with the required book.
