Marathon Reading (RCL Bonus 1)

“E Pluribus Unum” – “Out of many, one”. Though we see this quotation in our studies and even on our pocket change, our world really doesn’t fathom the scale and truth behind it. These words come to life- seen in action throughout our daily lives, not only in the oneness of our nation, but also throughout our many different communities. It is within this unity that we find some of our richest and most rewarding traditions and rituals, which in turn help us to feel more involved and unified: altogether becoming more civic.
Traditions and rituals, by definition, are customs and beliefs held and acted upon by a group of people throughout time. They are the chants we screech at football games; the songs we coo and dance to at weddings; the droning we listen to in solemnity when honoring those we have lost. No matter where we look, the world is drenched in these habits.
These acts run very strongly among the members of any self-respecting community. They hold them very closely to their hearts and encourage or urge anyone not partaking in the fun to join in and help to keep the fire alive. In this way, communal rituals help to shape what the people within them view as beautiful and true, and bring them closer together.
I attended the Marathon Reading in honor of Banned Books Week. Initially, I had only intended to pop in for about half an hour, listen to what I expected to be choppy, hard to follow reading, and then leave. I couldn’t have been farther from the mark with that assumption.
It amazed me how so many separate, unique entities could form one cohesive whole. I came in upon a group reading in German. Then, after about half an hour, when they began in English again, I was amazed at how the time had flown by in spite of the fact that I hadn’t understood a word. The story was flowing forth, strong, beautiful, and true, just using different people, dialects, and languages as its mouthpiece. So impassioned by the simple grace of the event, I signed up to read, and did so at about 2:55 AM. It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had.
This event is just one great example of a wonderful tradition, albeit a young one, that has sown itself into the very fabric of our campus. These rituals define us; they bring us together, and even if only for a moment, make us more like a family.

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One Response to Marathon Reading (RCL Bonus 1)

  1. Carissa says:

    Traditions and rituals are very important, and it’s interesting to see which rituals are chosen or developed for each community. The Marathon Read seems pretty unique, I haven’t heard of something like it happening anywhere else (though it may be!), and it brings out a different side of Penn State. In such a science- and research-focused university, it is good to have traditions to participate in that expand our experiences here. I did not attend the event but am very glad for its presence at Penn State. I hope it continues and gains momentum. And kudos to you for reading at 2:55 am!

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