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Life > Academics

Required Reading: Favorites & Not-So-Favorites

Katie Squires
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

My favorite classes outside of my major have been my English classes. I do best in seminar-style classes. I love listening, and I love speaking. These topics about abstract ideas, emotions, and characters speak to my soul. Before my collegiate career, my favorite courses in high school were AP Language and AP Literature. My high school English teacher, Mr. Gorman, quite literally changed my life. 

I attribute the person I am today to my English curriculum and inspirational instructors. I have had required reading for nearly my whole life. Some of these pieces had a profound impact on me, others I struggled to complete. Yet I think this duality is the beauty of a holistic education. You learn that not every novel and subject will light your soul on fire, and that is okay. 

If I had to reflect on all of the books I have read through my English education, I sort them into two primary categories, though there could certainly be sub-categories as well. 

Let’s start with my lesser-loved works and slowly transition to my beloved classics. 

Not my personal favorites:

“Moby Dick”: I am currently reading this Melville classic right now for ENG-375. I am struggling to set aside time to read this each day. Something about the fantasy element has never been a favorite of mine. 

“The Netanyahus”: I read this for ENG- 365 last year. I could not understand the social-political innuendos enough to appreciate this text.

“Of Mice and Men”: I probably need to re-read this classic now that I am older. My recollections from high school include that this book had a somber undertone to the entire tone. I do not think this book transformed me in any way. 

“The Odyssey”: I know I should appreciate formative epics like “The Illiad” & “The Odyssey”, but I have never been one to enjoy Greek mythology or fantasy-esque stories. 

“Tuesdays with Morrie”: This is a hot take. I always love a sentimental, life reflection story. However, I feel I should remember more about this book and its plot if it was supposed to be that impactful. It seemed a little cliche to me. 

“Pride & Prejudice”: I felt this book was read in high school for the mere sake of reading classics. It personally was not for me. I think for the same thematic concepts we could be reading much more engaging texts. 

“The Alchemist”: Too much of a crossover of fantasy and self-help for me. 

favorite required reading:

“The Great Gatsby”: An American classic with that Gilded Age flair. I loved every second of it.

“Fahrenheit 451”: This book made me fall in love with dystopian novels. It is eerily relevant.

“Frankenstein”: I enjoyed my AP Lit discussion on the sublime and romantic era for this book.

“Normal People”: I had already read this Sally Rooney hit in my free time and was overjoyed to see it on my ENG 365 syllabus last fall. This is one of my favorite books of all time.

“The Scarlet Letter”: I appreciated dissecting this book through its perspective on gender, religion, and symbols.

“Macbeth”: I was shocked I enjoyed this Shakespeare play as much as I did, but perhaps it was the humorous reenactments we did as a full class.

“And Then There Were None”: This classic sparked my love of Christie and her mysteries.

Moral of the story? Not every book on the syllabus will be your favorite. Some may be dense, challenging, or downright boring. Others may inspire you in ways you didn’t even know were possible. With required reading and life in general, we learn to persist and embrace favorites and not-so-favorites alike.

Katie is a Junior at St. Bonaventure University. She is an executive board member for Her Campus at SBU. Her experience with social media, advertising, and writing allow her to combine her passions and advance her university's chapter of HC. She has been a part of Her Campus since freshman year. It has been her favorite on-campus extracurricular to become involved with. Katie is currently studying Strategic Communication and Marketing. She finds joy in being involved on campus through various organizations including Her Campus and Jandoli Women in Communication. Katie is both an Orientation Leader and a Peer Coach- she loves welcoming new students and helping them transition to college. She is also a full-time student ambassador who enthusiastically leads tours for prospective students. (Request her as your tour guide!) In her free time, you can find Katie reading, hiking, and laughing with her friends. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the fall. Her kryptonite is iced coffee. Some of her favorite artists include Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, and Noah Kahan. Her favorite show is New Girl. Katie will eagerly engage in any conversation about her beloved hometown, Buffalo, New York. She will likely attempt to convert you to become a Buffalo Bills fan, and could talk about Josh Allen for hours. Post-grad, Katie hopes to be using her creative talents towards a fulfilling career in the world of advertising.