Recreational Reading
Studies show that record numbers of young people are reading for pleasure, and MacPhaidin Library statistics indicate that Stonehill students are among those choosing to curl up with a good book to de-stress, unwind and escape from the pressures of academic work.
“I think the power of words is often underestimated, but reading can provide a sense of freedom,” said Kailey Samarjian, a double major of English and Environmental Studies. “I love spending hours escaping into a new story. To me, reading gives me the chance to find myself in other people’s words. And it’s just a great way to unwind when I’m feeling stressed.”
Since the pandemic, the number of books checked out from MacPhaidin Library’s leisure reading collection have increased significantly, reflecting the upward trend in recreational reading that began during lockdown.
Faculty members, themselves avid recreational readers, say it is a habit that will benefit students for years to come.
“For me, reading for 'leisure' has at times been reading for 'refuge',” Prof. Ohanyan said. “My research is focused on issues of war, genocides, violence, armed conflict, peace-building, democratization, and authoritarianism. Some of this scholarly research that I do tends to be emotionally draining and stressful. Against this backdrop, reading for "leisure" is usually a place for refuge for me, where I am transported to worlds and historical periods and into the future, and I let my mind wonder and wander.”
Political Science Professor Anna Ohanyan said when choosing her leisure reading material, she still often finds herself drawn to material that aligns with her research but deals with areas she is less familiar with.
“Colson Whitehead's 'Underground Railroad shook me to the core and showed me the intimacy of violence in slavery in the US," she said.
She noted her recreational reading list includes a variety of genres, including children’s books,
“I remain constantly impressed as to how these authors are able to communicate rather complex ideas in a simple way, to the youngest in our societies,” she said.
"Exploring different genres, including those that challenge us intellectually, is part of the joy of recreational reading," Prof. Jared Green, Chair of the English Department, said.
“I think it might be a misconception that "leisure" reading can only refer to light magazine writing or popular genre books we find on BookTok that seek to entertain—and there's certainly a place for both,” Prof. Green said. “I want to advocate for a conception of leisure reading that encompasses anything that is not obligatory and that gives the reader pleasure. For some that might mean a page-turning romance or fantasy and for others a poem by our recent Raymo speaker, Ada Limón, for one brilliant example. For some it's an in-depth article on global economics or AI, and still others might look to travel in time by reading Homer or might seek the challenging emotional depth of a Virginia Woolf or Toni Morrison novel. Whatever it is that both transports you out of your frame of mind and returns you to yourself changed, even in some small way— make the time to include this in your day and share this with others.”
Jilian Kerby, a Neuroscience major Philosophy minor also finds reading relaxing. “I’ve been reading for as long as I can remember, my first book being “It” by Stephen King! Reading is my favorite way to wind down and relax after a long and stressful day.”
The MacPhaidin Library’s Leisure Reading collection has 916 books. Seventy-four of these books circulated between 9/2023-3/2024. This year, circulation is a little less than last year but much better than the 3 previous years, as seen below. Genres represented in this data collection are Mystery, Science Fiction and Fantasy, Romance, General Fiction, Nonfiction, Historical Fiction, and Young Adult Fiction.
- Sept 2019 -March 2020 69 books were checked out
- Sept 2020-March 2021 28 books were checked out
- Sept 2021–March 2022 67 books were checked out
- Sept 2022-March 2023 88 books were check out
By Julia Marchak ‘24