In a time of quarantine, books provide connection and escape
Although we’re apart, books can still bring us together.
By Kate Pritchard, MS/HS Librarian
Reading can be a way to travel beyond the confines of your current situation: to 18th-century Cairo or to Mars 300 years in the future; into a world entirely made up by the author, or into the history of your own city. Reading can offer a glimpse into someone else’s mind, perhaps connecting you to someone whose perspective you’ve never considered before. Several studies have even suggested that reading about someone else’s experiences can make us more empathetic.
And, as anyone who’s ever joined a book club or gone to a Harry Potter convention knows, reading connects us to each other as well. There’s a special joy in talking with someone about a book you both loved (or hated). Books can help us start a difficult conversation or forge a new friendship. Reading to someone can be an act of love — and if your children won’t let you do this anymore, reading together side by side is also a lovely way to create memories.
Now that so many of us have to stay home and limit our interactions with other people, it’s a great time to pick up a book and immerse yourself in another time, another place, or another life. If you’re looking for some ideas to build your To Be Read stack, visit our What Should I Read? LibGuide or request a personalized recommendation. And if you’ve read something wonderful lately, please reach out and share. We always love to hear from you.
HS English Teacher Michael Hansen was recently recognized by the National Association of Independent Schools for a new initiative that uses video game storytelling to help students engage in literary analysis.
This year's High School musical, "Into the Woods" will run from Thursday, November 20 through Sunday, November 23 in Durnan Auditorium. The link to purchase tickets will be shared in this article beginning Friday, November 14.
Lower School Spanish Teacher Arcelia Vázquez and how she helps USN students participate in Cheekwood's annual Dia de los Muertos celebration were recently featured by WPLN. Check out the complete story here.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.