On Thursday, Jan. 2, Wittenberg’s English Department put on its annual Read-a-Thon. The atrium of Hollenbeck was filled with comfy chairs and murmuring reading voices from nine in the morning until four o’clock in the afternoon.
From the looks of the full sign-up list and the numbers of students relaxing and socializing, this year’s event was a success.
Each year, the English department chooses a theme and a few novels which fit the theme for students and faculty to take a seat and read a while. This year, the theme, fittingly, was dystopia, encompassing many novels including George Orwell’s “1984.”
This year, though, reading slots were booked tight as many students desired to participate, whether for colloquium credit (remember, English majors need eight), or the pleasure alone. By one in the afternoon, every slot was filled and only the lucky few who loitered in the atrium might get an unregistered chance at reading for a while.
Some students wandered by between classes and glanced over at the scene from time to time. Others who could spare the time stopped to listen, taking a seat in an armchair beside the side-tables and dimmed lamps.
The event offers a study break for students each year and reminds students what it’s like to relax and read for fun.
