Lessons Learned After Reading 125 Books in 2021

I’ve always been a big reader. In elementary school, the free Book-It pizza was the highlight of my month. In middle school, I got my first library card and checked out books week after week while exchanging the Percy Jackson series with a friend at school. By the time eighth grade rolled around, I thought I was done with reading.

But then, March 2020 hit. With all the extra time at home, I found myself recovering old favorites like The Name of This Book is Secret and A Murder Most Unladylike. Soon enough, I was jumping back into reading as if no time had passed. And by December, I set a goal for myself to see how much I could actually read.

After reading a total of 125 books in 2021, I found that the end of the year was marked with a number of reflections and lessons learned from this experience. I thought I would share them with our Oculus readers!

Firstly, reading that chapter for history homework or finishing a book for English class is not as daunting as it may seem. When you begin to read regularly as a routine, school reading assignments are easy to complete and less intimidating than you may think them to be. That’s not to say that you need to read nonfiction or self-help books in order for your reading to be beneficial. Reading a genre that sparks your own interest and curiosity will keep you engaged for longer and can help tailor your comprehension skills. I find that I mainly read books written by Arab, Persian, and South Asian women, and I especially enjoy genres related to mythology from those regions. When I was younger, I never would have thought that those books even existed. That brings us to our next point.

USE! YOUR! RESOURCES! If you’re interested in finding more books like the one you’ve really enjoyed, type that query into Google. It’s that easy. Look up, “books by so-and-so authors,” or “books like so-and-so title.” Books are expensive, especially hardcovers and new copies. Take advantage of a free library card and a Google search. There are countless sites that have free PDFs of classics and bestsellers. If you really want to own a physical copy but it’s too pricey, check out Thriftbooks - it’s sustainable and reasonably priced! I’ve been able to buy four books for the price of one in the past, and they’re generally in good condition, too! Twenty-dollar new releases at Barnes and Noble could never compete.

Another thing I’ve learned in the past year is that annotating is not just for English homework. I never thought I would be the kind of person to press sticky tabs into my books or select text to highlight on an e-book, but it genuinely makes the whole reading experience that much better and more immersive. Being able to flip through the pages of a book I read a few months ago and relive the moments I loved most is such a special feeling. I highly recommend buying a pack of annotation tabs or cutting up post-it notes to keep track of your favorite scenes.

Finally, and forgive me for being sappy, but reading has seriously given me a new perspective on life. Reading adventurous fantasy novels with iconic friendships sheds light on my own relationships in real life. It’s taught me to interact better with people. I can relate to characters and their struggles and find solace in their stories. Finishing a good book or a series is like saying goodbye to an old friend. It’s sad and sweet, but there’s hope for a new beginning somewhere. And that somewhere might just be in another book. As the cliche quote goes, “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. A man who never reads lives only one.”

Activities Over Winter Break

As hard as it is to believe, 2021 is finally coming to a close. We are officially almost half-way through the school year. You know what that means - it’s almost time for winter break to begin!

As someone who was born in February, winter is my favorite season. But, I know a lot of us don’t feel the same way. Outdoor sports and activities are canceled due to freezing temperatures and sporadic snow storms, the sun sets earlier, and all of a sudden, the world goes dark. So many of us feel down when winter comes around.

But, like any other time of year, winter holds its own blessings, too - like the long-awaited winter break! There are a million and one ways to spend the week off from school. So, to help you plan ahead and make the most of the five days, here are a few ideas of some activities you can engage in with the whole family!

1. Go out for a drive to see the lights. This one is simple, but there’s so much you can do with it. Holiday lights are some of the most beautiful sights during this time of year. Check out the lights and decorations in your neighborhood, or even head to one of the many light shows New Jersey has to offer. Or, if you’re feeling fancy, head to New York! The city is always so beautiful this time of year, especially Rockefeller Center. The Winter Village at Bryant Park is a trek, but worthwhile. There are tons of shops that pop up in the Winter Village. Just walking around the markets, bundled up in the freezing cold, and grabbing a hot chocolate feels almost cinematic. There are also activities available at the park, including…

2. Ice skating! Instead of playing soccer outside, ice skating is an activity that you can take part in, no matter the weather! I’m hoping to get better at it this season, Insha Allah, but I might just be better off watching from the sidelines so I don’t fall over too many times. Another great winter activity would be…

3. Curling up in an armchair and reading a good book. If you’re looking for some quick and memorable reads over the break, check out the Oculus’s book reviews! Reading is definitely a great activity to keep yourself occupied. Pair your reading with a mug of whatever hot beverage you prefer and a freshly-baked good, and you’re set. That brings us to our final activity…

4. Baking! I personally do most of my baking in the winter. There’s something so warm and comfortable about taking your time with making a dessert for/with your family in the wintertime and feeling the heat of the oven on the coldest of days. Don’t be afraid to try new recipes and get creative in the kitchen! If you have younger kids in your house, this is an awesome way to get them involved and off of their screens at home. Besides, baking allows you to prepare food and desserts you can eat while binging your favorite movies over the break!

5. Throughout the school year, I find that I barely have time to watch TV or movies anymore. Winter break serves as a time when the whole family can come together and watch their favorite shows or films with one another. It’s always fun to look back on childhood favorites, or even that new series that dropped on Netflix that you’ve been meaning to watch.

So, there you have it: five activities that you can partake in to make the most out of your break! I want to emphasize that these are simply ideas to aid you in deciding how to spend your week off from school, and that everyone has different priorities at this time. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful winter break with your families and a happy new year!

Before The Coffee Gets Cold: A Book Review

Time travel, a quaint coffee shop, and the chance to meet a loved one again for one last time? What could be better than that?

This cycle’s (spoiler-free!) book review is on Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s Before The Coffee Gets Cold. Translated from its original Japanese, the novel frames itself as a collection of three short stories linked together to create a final tale. It deals heavily with loss and heartache related to illnesses and familial ties, which is why I would recommend it for high school students. As a general disclaimer, it is important to remember that this book may not be suitable for all age levels. If you are a younger reader, be sure to ask your parents before looking further into it!

I first found this book on Thriftbooks, which is a great site to sustainably purchase books and media - I totally recommend checking it out, especially for readers on a budget! I forgot about the novel for a few months and ended up spotting it again at a small bookstore in England over the summer. I read it quickly, noting Kawaguchi’s fun and eccentric writing style with every character’s expressions easily imaginable.

Before The Coffee Gets Cold is split into four sections. Each part corresponds to a different relationship between characters, whether it be a mother and daughter, or a husband and wife. The novel is based on the idea of a coffee shop in an alleyway in Tokyo that offers its customers a trip back in time. In order to do so, they need to follow a specific set of rules: stay in the same seat, meet a person who visited the shop in the past, and most importantly, finish their drink and return to the present before the coffee gets cold, just as the novel’s title suggests. The title immediately drew me in!

The novel focuses on four stories, each of which centers around relationships and communication ordeals. Each character has their own backstory and trials they face, including battling Alzheimer’s, losing a child, or simply just being a few minutes too late to an important event in their lives. Given a chance to see their loved ones for the time it takes a cup of coffee to go cold, readers get an inside-view of the characters’ desperation and sorrow. Be warned, it is very possible that you may shed a tear or two when reading Kawaguchi’s work - I know I definitely did. He knows just how to tug and pull on heartstrings. Perhaps the oddest aspect of the characters' interactions with their pasts is that, unlike in other works of time travel, they are unable to actually change the present. They only meet with those in the past for their own peace of mind and reconciliation.

Khadija Husain, a student in 10th grade at NUI, also had some thoughts to share about the novel. She said, “Before the Coffee gets Cold grabbed my attention the moment I read the summary. It is a pleasant, short book that makes you as a reader want to drink coffee, too, as you read it. My favorite part is the tying of the three short stories together with superb plots in each one.”

So grab a cup of coffee, hot chocolate, tea, or whatever hot beverage you prefer and go read Before The Coffee Gets Cold! If you’re interested in more books like it, there is a sequel titled Tales From The Cafe. I have yet to read it myself, but I’ve heard great things about it! I’ve also found that Eva Ibbotson’s middle-grade work has that same whimsical feel to it, namely The Secret of Platform 13 and Island of The Aunts.

Let us know what you think, and happy reading Insha Allah!

Greetings From Bury Park: A Book Review

Welcome to the Oculus’s new subsection of editorials: book reviews! In this string of articles, we hope to help our readers find books they can be passionate about. As a general disclaimer, it is important to remember that these books may not be suitable for all age levels. If you are a younger reader interested in the books we discuss, definitely be sure to check with your parents before looking further into them! This cycle’s (spoiler-free!) review will be best for high school students and centers around Sarfraz Manzoor’s Greetings From Bury Park - a coming-of-age memoir discussing the reality of being a British-Pakistani teenager in the 1980s.

Originally published in 2007, Greetings From Bury Park is Sarfraz Manzoor’s recounting of his childhood and teenage years as a Pakistani-Muslim in Luton, England. The book itself is split into nine parts, each woven together through the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen, Manzoor’s favorite artist. In each part, he describes different aspects of his life: from his strained relationship with his father and his desire to be more like his white counterparts, to his dreams and aspirations of becoming an accomplished author.

One of the main themes of the memoir is the idea of identity and what it means to be “Pakistani” or “British.” I say these terms in quotations because with the constant pressure of both his parents and the societal norms, Manzoor has no clue where he fits in. For our high school readers, I’m sure this is something that a number of you can relate to. The instance I immediately think of is when a person asks me where I’m from. I hesitate, as you may too, about whether to say “Jersey” or the land where my ancestors once lived, knowing that those posing the question prefer the latter. Manzoor’s work dives into this idea and his relationships with other South Asian people experiencing the same feeling. That being said, Greetings From Bury Park talks about more than just Manzoor’s race and religion; he makes mistakes like any other teenager, learns to overcome hurdles, and eventually finds contentment with himself and his decisions in life.

If reading a memoir isn’t your cup of tea, Blinded By the Light is a film roughly based on Greetings From Bury Park that was released in 2019. It tells the fictional tale of Javed Khan who, like Manzoor, grows up in Luton under the influence of Bruce Springsteen’s inspiring music. Once I rewatched it this past summer after initially seeing it when it first came out, I realized that the movie itself was definitely not the greatest or most well-written, by far. That wasn’t why I was so passionate about it. I liked it so much because, as someone with close ties to the British-Pakistani diaspora, I felt seen. If you’re a film buff, I think it might be worth it to give it a shot.

So, would I recommend reading Greetings From Bury Park? A hundred percent. If you’re interested in more books like this, I would definitely recommend Fatima Farheen Mirza’s A Place For Us, a fictional work surrounding the trials within the relationships of a Muslim family in America, and Firoozeh Dumas’s Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America.

Let us know what you think, and happy reading Insha Allah!