Thanks to the calendar shift, gone are the days of one month breaks before the start of a new school year. Although short breaks aren’t alien to students, it’s understandable that some might feel rattled until now. Fret not, for an escape is possible—through reading a book, that is. Here are a few suggestions for your different moods this term.
For the reader with a hectic schedule: Daytripper by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá
Not all students have enough time to indulge themselves in long and thought provoking novels. Between classes, org work, and part-time jobs, the college life can seriously put a strain on a person’s reading habits. Luckily, there are works like Daytripper that condense stories without losing the emotions and content in the process.
Proving that not all graphic novels have to involve radioactive spider bites and brightly colored spandex, Vertigo Comics’ Daytripper is a 10 issue long miniseries, with each part providing a window into the life of Brás de Oliva Domingos, a Brazillian obituarist, as he grapples with thoughts concerning his own mortality. Each issue is only 24 pages long, making the series an easy read that still leaves one ruminating.
For the good, the bad, and the ugly groupmates you’ll encounter: No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre
Although it’s a play, we’re adding it to the list because it captures the experience students have when working with a group that doesn’t start and end too well. No Exit tells the story of three damned souls, Garcin, Inez, and Estelle who, instead of being sent to the fiery hell they all expected, end up in a second empire styled room with each other.
Things unfold as they try to figure out why they were placed there by the mysterious Valet. Conflicts arise when they bring up their lives on earth and one of the characters eventually realizes that, “Hell is other people.” If ever you get stuck in a similar situation, this play will make you feel better for only being with your groupmates for a term. At least you’re not stuck with them for all of eternity.
For dull days: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
The monotony of an everyday routine could sometimes make you feel drained. If you’re craving adventure with a bit of humor during these dreary times, join Allan Karlsson as he embarks on a journey after ditching his 100th birthday party, where he encounters new people and a suitcase filled with cash, among other things.
Although it seems like a legendary trip, the centenarian isn’t a stranger to extraordinary experiences for he played key roles in some of the most significant events in history. As you read along, you’ll feel refreshed as you see things through Allan’s eyes as he navigates through life doing his own thing. Aside from livening up your days, it might even inspire you to start an adventure of your own.
For wandering minds during lectures: Battle Royale by Koushun Takami
If you feel like your classes right now are brutal, think about it this way: At least you haven’t been taken by the government to participate in a fight-to-the-death military experiment against all your classmates.
Battle Royale explores the now common concept of pitting young people against each other in gladiator style death matches, but with the added dramatic bonus: All of the characters have been in the same class and have already formed personal connections with each other. It’s fast paced and thrilling, and sure to keep your attention despite all the requirements school throws at you.
As an added bonus, once you’re through with reading it, it gives you something interesting to ponder on during long, drawn out lectures: If this class were to be thrown into the Battle Royale setting right now, who would survive?
For when childhood nostalgia hits: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany
As the newest installment of the franchise that basically characterized this generation’s childhood, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child takes place 19 years after the events of the last book of the series (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows).
It follows the adventures of Harry’s son, Albus Severus Potter and a roster of next generation characters that fit right into the canon of the series. Originally a stage play, the script has been published in book form, taking The Cursed Child from the Palace Theater in London to the comfort of your tambay place of choice in campus.
Let the classic characters and familiar feel of the Harry Potter universe help you relive the magic, and add a little fantasy to your mundane routine that is college life.
For when you’re fed up with everything: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Aside from the acad workload, current events could also take a toll on us, especially with all the issues surrounding us both inside and outside the University.
To Kill A Mockingbird is also set in a time of unrest, wherein poverty was prevalent and racism was widespread. Told through the eyes of five year old Scout, this book will make you realize that although the system sometimes can barely be trusted to be fair, all hope is not lost for there are still people who stand by their principles to fight for what’s right.
Whether it’s to distract you from the stress of college life or just to complement a mood you’re currently feeling, there really is a certain kind of escape that can only be found in reading. Don’t let this new term scare you out of losing yourself in some good books and let these stories help you start the new school year inspired and motivated.
