Whitney Rivers
Mrs. Dodson
ENG 111-L06
September 4, 2012
The Hunger Games
For as long as I can remember, reading has always been a struggle for me. I can recall being terrified by the thought of my elementary school teachers calling my name out to read aloud in class. I have always been a slow reader, which naturally made me limit my reading to the least amount possible. I have always thrived in math and science courses, but when it came to reading there was something about it that made me cringe. Any text that was assigned to me I neglected to read, and would "wing" any book test.
I never wanted to read on my own because I was too embarrassed to face my dim-wittedness head-on. I never took up the opportunity to read the books my mom set aside for me at home. Instead, I made up any excuse I could to cop-out of reading. Once I became involved with cheerleading in middle school, not having enough time for books was an easier way to tell myself I did not need them.
Entering cheerleading on a high school level consumed all of my time. My life was full of practices, games, fund-raisers, and volunteer work. Springtime of my senior year I tore my ACL. After surgery my life dramatically changed. I went from being constantly on the go, to being forced to take time out for therapy. With so much unwanted free time I was bored beyond measures. I desperately needed something to replace my everyday routine with the excitement cheerleading gave me.
Our librarians and English teachers at the time were planning a game day based on the book The Hunger Games. The entire school was required to read the novel. Within a matter of days, it seemed as if everyone in school was talking about this book. Being an average high school teenager, I just wanted to fit in with the crowd. With the abundance of free time I had on my hands, I decided to try it out. I had to find out what all of the buzz was about!
From the moment I began the novel I could not put it down. To my surprise, my obsession for The Hunger Games grew more and more every day. Which in turn my fear of reading became less prominent. Any free time I had, whether it was after I finished my class work or during therapy, I found myself glued to this book. Luckily by the time I finished the novel, the second and third novels of the trilogy had already been released.
I finished the books within a total of two weeks. Before overcoming my fear of reading it would have taken twice that long to even get started on a book. Reading The Hunger Games series opened an entire new chapter of my life. Since then, I have continued to read not only when it is required, but also for my own entertainment. I am so thankful to have a refreshing new hobby. As I start my college experience reading is truly becoming a passion of mine, especially as a young adult.
Mrs. Dodson
ENG 111-L06
September 4, 2012
The Hunger Games
For as long as I can remember, reading has always been a struggle for me. I can recall being terrified by the thought of my elementary school teachers calling my name out to read aloud in class. I have always been a slow reader, which naturally made me limit my reading to the least amount possible. I have always thrived in math and science courses, but when it came to reading there was something about it that made me cringe. Any text that was assigned to me I neglected to read, and would "wing" any book test.
I never wanted to read on my own because I was too embarrassed to face my dim-wittedness head-on. I never took up the opportunity to read the books my mom set aside for me at home. Instead, I made up any excuse I could to cop-out of reading. Once I became involved with cheerleading in middle school, not having enough time for books was an easier way to tell myself I did not need them.
Entering cheerleading on a high school level consumed all of my time. My life was full of practices, games, fund-raisers, and volunteer work. Springtime of my senior year I tore my ACL. After surgery my life dramatically changed. I went from being constantly on the go, to being forced to take time out for therapy. With so much unwanted free time I was bored beyond measures. I desperately needed something to replace my everyday routine with the excitement cheerleading gave me.
Our librarians and English teachers at the time were planning a game day based on the book The Hunger Games. The entire school was required to read the novel. Within a matter of days, it seemed as if everyone in school was talking about this book. Being an average high school teenager, I just wanted to fit in with the crowd. With the abundance of free time I had on my hands, I decided to try it out. I had to find out what all of the buzz was about!
From the moment I began the novel I could not put it down. To my surprise, my obsession for The Hunger Games grew more and more every day. Which in turn my fear of reading became less prominent. Any free time I had, whether it was after I finished my class work or during therapy, I found myself glued to this book. Luckily by the time I finished the novel, the second and third novels of the trilogy had already been released.
I finished the books within a total of two weeks. Before overcoming my fear of reading it would have taken twice that long to even get started on a book. Reading The Hunger Games series opened an entire new chapter of my life. Since then, I have continued to read not only when it is required, but also for my own entertainment. I am so thankful to have a refreshing new hobby. As I start my college experience reading is truly becoming a passion of mine, especially as a young adult.
