Throughout quarantine, senior Ella Barth rekindled her interest in reading while spending time at home and leading the girls varsity soccer team.

It was early in the summer when Barth realized reading would forever hold a place in her heart. She said, “In early June my mom lent me a book to read during all the free time I had and once I started reading it I couldn’t put it down.”

Barth described her experience with reading during the pandemic as a way of freedom. She said, “Reading always allowed me to escape into a different world. So it has been a really good distraction from the crazy world that we live in today with the pandemic.”

Barth found the pleasure of reading in her cozy room, away from reality. This was where she was able to connect to her favorite authors and characters. She said, “I connected a lot to Elton John because he just has inspired me to find something that I can find good in and not focus on the negative parts of life.”

Aside from simply enjoying reading, Barth discovered how important reading was academically. She said, “I thrive more as a student when I read. It helps me to learn better vocabulary and teaches lessons and stories that I can use in my academics.”

One person who has taken notice of Barth’s interest in reading is her father, Bill Barth. He said, “I don’t see her much at home, but when we went on vacation this summer, she spent most of her time buried in a book. That’s something I haven’t seen her do in quite a while.”

Bill has noticed his daughter being happier and more motivated since she began reading again for pleasure. He said, “She definitely has been more productive than usual. She seems more motivated to get things done and is more willing to help around the house, probably because she isn’t stuck staring at her phone all day.”

While spending time at home this summer, Barth found that reading allowed her to learn more about herself. She said, “Instead of watching movies and tv shows, while laying around I could read a book instead.”