To read or not to read? That is the question.

For centuries, reading has been a popular pastime for people of all ages. But, is reading a thing of the past?

“Absolutely not! A ton of people read different things even if they don’t realize it,” Isaiah Hastings, senior, said.

Heather Jackson, junior, disagrees because “technology is too distracting.”

Hastings spends almost all of his free time reading.

People don’t always have to read huge novels. Short stories, comic books, and even video games are ways to get engaged in text.

Kyle Yake, junior, said he prefers to read suspense and thrillers because “it gets you reading and you don’t want to put the book down.”

Yake’s reading patterns depend on the week and how much homework he has, and Jackson reads about 2-3 hours a day.

Hastings on the other hand reads a lot of Japanese literature along with murder mysteries and science fiction.

Jackson generally enjoys fiction because of “the worlds that are created to convey a point” and being able to “escape into the books.”

People should read more because they become “less ignorant and they know more,” Yake said.

While some people believe that others should try reading more, Hastings  “wouldn’t advise it if it’s not their thing.”

Even if reading is “not your thing,” there are many benefits to picking a book  up and trying it.

“You get to learn authors’ styles and new words,” Yake said.

Hastings’ favorite part of reading is “making connections” in the stories. He said it’s very engaging.

Jackson states that people should definitely read more because they get “experience without actually having to do something. You get to know the author” and discover “new horizons.”

While many people enjoy reading in their free time, others don’t find it as appealing.

“I don’t enjoy the classics, but I do enjoy reading historical fiction,” Dylan Willet, senior, said.

Amanda Cheshire, junior, only reads “modern books written within the past 50 years.”

Both students agree that one of the downsides to reading is the time consumption.

As a result, Cheshire spends an hour or less reading each week.

Willet admits to having the majority of his reading be debate evidence and Twitter feeds.

In regards to the reputation of reading, Cheshire said, “It’s still popular even if it’s not books.”

Despite not being a huge fan of reading, Willet believes that “more people should read because it improves education and some people need it.”

Despite their different reading habits, all five students prefer the real book pages to Kindles or other types of e-readers due to a variety of reasons.

“I always prefer a real book because of the way it feels to the eyes,” Yake said.

Hastings likes the book smell, and Willet prefers the weight of a book as opposed to another device.

However, online books will continue to be easy to access and the students will use them in addition to printed books because of their convenience.