Columns

SWASING | The Novelty of Reading for Pleasure

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When I’m asked about my hobbies, I often respond that I enjoy reading (which is true, for the record). Then when the inevitable question, “What’s the last good book you read?” follows, my mind goes blank; the titles of every book I’ve ever read disappear into thin air. It disappoints me that the last time I had time to read a good book was so long ago that I can’t even remember what book it was. My pile of “to be read” books grows larger by the day, while my “finished reading” list remains stagnant. 

Reading for pleasure while in college is a topic that has been discussed again, and again and again by Sun columnists. As students pursuing a vast array of academically intense interests, many of us find that we spend so much time on reading assignments and other mentally taxing work that by the time we get a chance to relax, reading for fun sounds like a hill we can’t even begin to climb. Instead, we opt for a mind-numbing Netflix show that we can watch passively while we disengage our brains and scroll through social media.

Arts & Culture

Mockingjay Part 2: An Epic Ending?

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By NATALIE TSAY

As the final installation of one of the most popular young adult series of the decade (and the catalyst for the current teen-dystopian trend), The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 had a lot to accomplish. It had to show how high the stakes were for Katniss and the rest of Panem. It had to finish what Mockingjay — Part 1 started, a film that many accused of being merely a setup for Part 2. It had to give millions of fans closure and bring a mega-franchise to its epic conclusion. So did it accomplish all that lay before it?