https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8 Self as a Reader en-us 2018-09-06 19:54:43 UTC 2025-05-14 14:33:10 UTC hello@padlet.com sportschic23 https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278636426 As I grew up and began to look towards more advanced books, my mother began to read the first Harry Potter book to me every night. Each evening before bed, we would sit and read a chapter or so. This book quickly became my go-to and one that I read over and over again, increasing my love for reading. These books taught me that through stories on paper, one can catch a glimpse into a world so magical and so different from reality. The world of Harry Potter and witches and wizards and good and evil was so hypnotizing and intriguing to me. These books quickly made reading and entering a different reality my happy place. They also showed me how books and writings can teach you lessons and values that are applicable to the real world and your own life. The messages of bravery and friendship and honesty all came through to me while reading these stories. To this, day I reread the series at least once a year and it gives me a renewed passion for literature and a warm sense of nostalgia. ]]> 2018-09-06 20:04:31 UTC https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278636426 sportschic23 https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278637590 In middle school was when I first discovered poetry through the works of Maya Angelou. After first reading "Still I Rise", I was hooked on poetry- initially just reading it, but eventually also writing it. I had always loved reading but something about poetry was so different to me. It was raw and emotional and lovely. Ever since then I have tried to read works from every poet I come across- famous or unknown. Throughout middle school and high school, and even now, I have always kept a journal on me full of writings and poems. In high school, my poems were even published a few different times in young poet anthologies. Poetry has become a way for me to express my emotions and make sense some sort of sense of the world and my life. It has been both an outlet and a source of support. Getting to read someones words and feeling what they felt when they wrote them is a magical thing and it helps you to better understand the world and human nature.]]> 2018-09-06 20:07:31 UTC https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278637590 sportschic23 https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278637982 As initially an only child with a stay at home mother, I was fortunate to have a lot of time during my childhood spent reading and learning at home from my mom. Because of this, I started reading at an early age and have continued this passion ever since. My mother knew the importance of learning at an early age and wanted me to learn to read an write as soon as possible so that I could become proficient all the sooner. Once my younger brother came into the picture, not only was I getting to advance in my own reading, I also helped to teach him to read and write. A way in which my brother and I bonded was through reading books together in the mornings and often playing school where I would teach him new words and phrases. While he may not enjoy reading and writing quite as much as I do, we both remember these moments as integral in our childhood and in our learning journeys. ]]> 2018-09-06 20:08:46 UTC https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278637982 sportschic23 https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278638185 My family is very Irish on both my mom and dad's side. My dad's mother- who is from County Cork in Ireland- has brought all of us up in the traditions and culture that have been passed down from generation to generation. Starting from a young age, she and my Irish heritage have greatly influenced how I learn, read, write, and communicate. As a child my grandmother was always telling me stories, both of our family and traditions and also old tales and lessons orally passed down. The way that she was able to recite the stories she had been told as a young girl made me love the tradition of storytelling. She also always tried to incorporate the Irish language into our childhood so that we could learn the importance of trying to understand other languages in speaking, reading, and writing. Knowing about my love for books, she would show me pictures and tell me about "The Long Room" in Trinity College Library that had floor to ceiling shelves of old, magnificent books. The day I was finally able to see it for myself is one of my favorite memories.]]> 2018-09-06 20:09:32 UTC https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278638185 sportschic23 https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278638862 Starting at birth, my parents wanted to instill in me a love for reading. My father constantly read me favorites from his childhood- Dr. Seuss books.  These quickly became an obsession for me as I loved the silly narratives, the wonderful use of words and rhyming, and the colorful world seen on the pages. Reading these books also served another purpose aside from teaching me to love reading- it created a bond between my father and I, one forged from time spent learning and laughing. My dad has been a bibliophile all of his life and I think that he knew, one day I would be too. Spending this time with my dad and seeing his love of words and how they can be used gave me a lasting impression that continues today. Even now, my father will often refer books to me, review my writing, or listen to an audio-book in the car on a long drive together.]]> 2018-09-06 20:11:21 UTC https://padlet.com/sportschic23/guwts0rljrb8/wish/278638862