Do you actually like to read? Be honest! I know plenty of students who would give me a definite no, and that’s okay. Truly, I believe more students and adults like to read more than they let on, but maybe they’re too busy to pick up a book. Maybe they haven’t found a genre they enjoy enough to sit and read. Maybe they just don’t understand language as well as others. Maybe they just find it boring.

And that’s understandable. I get that some don’t have the time or patience to read a book, while others perhaps simply aren’t interested or weren’t taught to enjoy reading. Personally, I adore reading. My parents made a point to read from an early age, and I soon became one of the most gifted readers in my class. My favorite genres are fantasy and fiction. In fact, I love reading so much that I am going to college to hopefully become a writer of many books. Sadly, I have found that many students seldom read for pleasure. Most only read what they are assigned to read at school, which often makes their aversion to reading worse because they see it as a chore. Often, students are required to read something they aren’t interested in. However, I’d like to try and hopefully turn some of you Eagles into avid readers like myself.

Firstly, reading — for pleasure rather than obligation — is shown to have a variety of health benefits. Studies have shown that reading acts as a form of meditation for the body, lowering blood pressure and reducing stress levels. It also improves sleep quality, as it signals the body to relax, which is why reading is a part of many people’s bedtime routine. Reading keeps your brain strong and active, improving focus and concentration; it has even been shown to lower mortality rates by 20% and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Reading also has emotional benefits — stories often invoke a variety of emotions, from happiness to anger to sadness to surprise. Experiencing these emotions, especially those seen as negative, like sadness, can build resilience and the ability to deal with difficult situations. It can also help you develop empathy and connection with others by learning about different cultures and experiences through stories, especially fiction.

For me, reading has also improved my vocabulary and helped me become a better writer. I plan on pursuing creative writing, so reading books has helped me improve my craft, both for schoolwork and simply creative fun. I always tell people who aren’t good at writing to read more often! Reading also brings me into a better world and has been shown to ignite our creativity and imagination. When I’m stressed or worried about something, I adore getting lost in a good story. Reading has also helped me find a passion for helping others feel seen through stories, especially through fiction. Even though fictional stories have not happened, what is written could happen and happens to many people every day, such as stories involving family issues, homelessness, and struggles with racism, stereotypes, bullying, and drug abuse. Reading these types of stories has helped me realize I want to continue that mission of helping people feel seen and connected; helping the world become a better place for others through my writing is my biggest desire. If all of you Eagles begin to read, maybe you’ll be inspired to write something great, too!

Lastly, reading can help you socialize! Though reading for leisure is often an independent activity, a love of books can help you meet people and make new friends! Going to the library and talking to people, or participating in book clubs, can help you form connections with others who like the same books or genres you do. Or you can try something new and talk to someone who prefers reading something completely different! Becoming a bookworm is a great way to form connections with others, which is also beneficial to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

I know there are lots of reasons why you might be hesitant to pick up a book, but trust me, you won’t regret it! Reading offers great benefits to your mental and emotional well-being and can even reduce stress and help you relax and live longer. It can help you socialize and make new friends and connections with others, as well as improve your concentration, vocabulary, and cognitive skills. Most importantly, reading can help you become a better writer and even ignite your creativity to write something special and help others! The best way to start reading is to find something you really enjoy and set some realistic goals to make sure you read every day!

I know that required reading for English class can be a bore, but if you at least try and find something you love to read solely for pleasure, I promise you’ll enjoy every page.

So grab a book! Where will your next story take you?

Of the many high school milestones, prom is arguably the most anticipated, second to graduation. For Hubbard High School juniors and seniors, this long-awaited event is fast approaching. With it only being a few weeks away, the excitement is building as the school year heads into its final stretch. I spoke with Hubbard’s upperclassmen to see exactly how they are preparing for the big night.

Prom gives students a moment to step away from the stress of schoolwork, sports, and responsibilities. It’s one of the few nights where upperclassmen can enjoy themselves without worrying about what comes next, whether that be a due date or even a college application. Getting ready for prom does take a little bit of planning, but that is all a part of the excitement. These preparations first start off by finding the outfit, which for some is the hardest part, especially if you are trying to coordinate with someone else. Next are the “day of” tasks, which are hair, makeup, pictures, and everything in between. I asked junior Leighton Komlanc what she is doing in advance for prom to take some stress off the big day. “I am going to the tanning beds, booking my nail appointments, and planning with my friends.” Another extremely important, yet difficult, part of prom is making sure that plans align with your friends and everyone is content with what’s going on before, during, and after the dance.

In the end, the preparations leading up to prom are what make the night feel so meaningful to Hubbard High School juniors and seniors. From coordinating and choosing outfits to coordinating plans with friends, every step builds anticipation and brings students closer together. As the final details fall into place, students aren't just preparing for the dance; they’re preparing for a moment they will remember long after the night is over.

Summer vacation is coming up! The time when everyone leaves town and goes on a getaway. Now, if you're confused about where to go, this may be for you.

Family feuds happen often, especially when it comes to picking where to go on vacation. Sometimes family vacations are to visit other family members who live somewhere else, which can be a blast or a really awkward situation if you don’t know them at all. Elma Kassem talks about her experience with family vacations. She says that it wasn’t awkward at all because she knew her family. She also says that she and her family have a lot of fun.

Let’s talk about transportation. Planes or cars? Which one is better? Well, they're both equally bad. When you fly, it's very time-consuming. Sometimes your flight gets cancelled, or you have to wait forever until you board. Don’t forget the security! When you drive, it is so boring and uncomfortable when you can’t get up for a bunch of hours. Driving gets tiring, too, for whoever is driving the car. If they're both bad, at least pick the fastest one, which is obviously the plane. It just happens to be the expensive one.

Now we should get into the places people recommend. Brooke Keller says North Carolina and South Carolina are pretty good vacation destinations. There are lots of beaches down there. Some people love places like Disneyland or Disney World. Gianna Fox said Disney was a blast, especially for the little kids. Getting out of the country is also a great vacation because somehow places that aren’t in the U.S. seem more magical. It might just be the languages.

If you like to get tan, the beach or pool is something you should look into when going on vacation. Hot weather and sand might not be someone's cup of tea. Somewhere else you can go is the mountains, because why not? You can camp, hike, and swim in a lake. Fun, right? Exactly, and if we’re being completely honest, anywhere can be a vacation as long as you let go and have fun.

As the sun starts setting later and the stress of state testing and finals is coming to an end, that means summer break is coming, and you know it's gonna be a good one! Summer break is something we all look forward to because that means you can do anything without the stress of school, clubs, and your everyday life. It's a time to hang out with friends and family, stay up late going out or staying up having a movie marathon, and then sleeping in, where your sleep schedule does not really matter that much if you sleep in until noon since you don't have school. But really, summer break doesn’t matter where you go or what your plans are; it's all about who you're with, hanging out, and the feeling of summer, not the social pressure of thinking you need to go somewhere cool. It's about who you're with

Summer Plans

As many of us do sports, that takes up a lot of time and leaves not much time to hang out with friends and family. A lot of us have our plans as sports or jobs like band camp, cross country, football, soccer, and volleyball, or getting a job for the summer, or even just doing nothing are good plans. I know personally I have a summer job at a summer camp, which is going to also keep me busy, and band camp, but we all know summer plans aren’t good without friends and family, and it’s important to us to make sure to spend time with them while you have it. On the topic of summer plans, what are your plans?