Meet the 4 Penn Juniors Who Are Reading Books for Fun Outside of Class

Step aside, Netflix — a new craze is creeping its way into Penn culture. Instead of unwinding with an episode of The Office or with a few bottles of wine, some Penn students are now turning to recreational reading as a means of de-stressing.  

“Yeah, right now I’m reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” said Wharton junior Gabriel Johnson. “It’s actually the first book I have ever read.”

Another Wharton junior, Rebecca Birch, is reading a picture book about dogs. “I find that the pictures of the dogs really help me relax. I haven’t read any of the words yet, but I plan on spreading that out over the next few months.” 

Engineering junior Katya Westbrook is reading about class warfare, and loving every minute of it.   

“I’m excited for the dawning of the new age. I hope the working class shows no mercy in its hunt for retribution.”

M&T junior Daniel Lake is excited to start reading a book about shapes. “I have always loved shapes,” says Daniel. “I am excited to learn more about shapes and what different shapes look like."

Though this movement might be frightening to some students, experts think reading might be making a comeback, especially among people who can read at an adult level and are lacking fulfillment in their lives.