An essay by Nydia Campbell
I live between the pages of books. Whole worlds form around me as I’m surrounded by comforting words. In these worlds I can soar through the air on a broomstick or travel to far off lands filled with magic and mystery. Pages fold over me keeping me warm while I watch as heroes fight off evil and the good turn bad. Worlds are destroyed in front of my eyes while heroes are born and empires rise. I can hear screams as wars are won and feel the tears as they fall after a terrible loss. I cry with them. I have lived a thousand lives in the walls of my bedroom.
Books have become a safe haven for me. As a child I was always shy. I would hide behind my books, carrying them with me wherever I went as if they were a shield hiding me so I would never have to speak a word to someone else. I followed Jack and Annie as they traveled through time in their magic tree house and watched Percy Jackson as he battled to return Zeus’ lightning bolt. I still remember the excitement and joy I felt (and still feel) when finding a new book. I strived to be like my favorite characters, outgoing and strong, unafraid to say and do what they felt while I was still hiding behind them. Books were my safety net and the only friends I could ever want or need. They protected me and guided me. They helped me through my worst times.
I still turn to books today. Not as a single companion to get me through my days but as an addition to my growing group of friends. My favorite characters have taught me what it means to be human and to have flaws as well as be kind and loving. The Book Thief taught me that words are powerful and can be used for both good and evil though they should never be used lightly. Hermione Granger taught me to fight for what one believes in, even when things seem bleak and to never change who I am even if I might seem weird to others. The Giver taught me that choice and love always outweigh the pain they might bring. Bilbo Baggins taught me to never skip an experience just because it might be uncomfortable or strange because it might just be the best experience of my life. Divergent and The Hunger Games taught me to always keep fighting for what I believe in even if it seems I won't win and Augustus Waters taught me to live my life to the absolute fullest because I will never know when it might end.
These stories and others have shaped me into who I am today. Before I fell in love with reading I was shy and kept to myself. Now I have a million friends and have gone on a million adventures. When I read these books I lose all sense of time and days pass by without my knowing. I find myself transported to someplace new and transformed into a completely different person. I learn new things about myself and new ways of understanding people and what makes them who they are. The lessons and experiences I have been given through books can never be measured or valued. Each book leaves with me a piece of the puzzle of who I once was and who I am becoming.
This essay was written for as an admissions essay for the University of Oklahoma application.
© 2020 Nydia Campbell
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