NC students reflect on their summer reading selections, a controversial topic among readers and non-readers alike.

“In the past, my summer reading books have been really boring. But, I was surprised to realize how interesting both of them were this year,” junior Ashley Hunter said.

Summer reading stands as a common assignment given by teachers across the nation. The ritual allows students to continue their learning and expand knowledge after the school year ends. The assignment also gives students an opportunity to read and explore texts not generally found on their bookshelf.

“Summer reading is not a bad concept, but the teachers usually give way too much. My selections were okay, but I didn’t have time to finish them completely,” sophomore Patrick McHugh said.

Although the practice began with English/language arts teachers, other subjects quickly began to add summer curricular reading assignments, papers, and projects. Now students typically receive social studies and occasional science reading assignments to complete over the summer, in addition to their necessary standard English/language arts books. Most students also face a requirement to annotate their summer reading texts, causing an even greater time demand.

“I enjoyed the book I read this summer, but annotating it kind of ruined the entertainment factor of the story,” freshman Savanna Rodriguez said.

Annotations, defined as small marginal notes, remain a crucial aspect of the summer reading process. They assist the reader in accumulating a better understanding of the text’s main idea. Annotations stand as an effective method of note-taking, providing the student with short references while writing a paper or completing an assignment, both of which typically follows the summer reading process.

Overall, summer reading may not be enjoyed by all students, or even the majority, but the concept itself serves many purposes. Clearly, the assignment continues because of its effectiveness and success among students.

“We might not like summer reading now, but it gives us skills to use later in school and life. I didn’t particularly enjoy the books I read, but knowing it was a requirement helped me get through it,” junior Olivia Wogon said.