Editorial

The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect those of the staff of this publication, or of the Student Union.

Quick now, name the last three books you’ve read, not including required text readings for your studies. Well, ah, um, scratch, scratch, hmm..

I was reading a blurb on job interviews in some magazine or other, which mentioned how interview questions are getting away from the straightforward skills and qualification stuff and more towards queries which probe into your personality; spaced- out questions like "If you could transform yourself into an animal, what would you be?" (Depending on the job you were after, you might answer anything from a peace-loving dove to a fighting bull.) Or, you might be asked revealing questions about what you ate for breakfast. Well, it seems one of the more popular questions nowadays quizzes you about your literary tastes.

I’m not sure what any prospective employer would make of my personality when he or she found out the last three books I’ve read include a collection of children’s poems, a mindless Sydney Sheldon paperback, and some old Doonesbury compilations from the pre-Reagan era. Or that my magazine subscriptions range from TIME magazine for current events, the business student’s de riguer FINANCIAL POST for corporate affairs, to CANADIAN LIVING for the great recipes.

I have got to stop telling you so much about myself; first I tell you how I don’t go to church and now I’m telling you that as editor of this paper I’m reading literature which is not exactly of the highest academic standards. But, (here I go again) I don’t think I’m the only person around who's reading material that isn’t quite up to his or her level of intelligence. I mean, seeing that we’re all students

brain?

Maybe it’s because we’re so burned out from reading zillions of assigned text readings for our courses, that when it comes to our optional material, we choose something that gives our brains a break. We might even eliminate leisurely reading from our day. After all, reading is kind of anti-social. ’m more likely to turn on the TV when my honey comes over, than to open a book.

I am making many, many assumptions here. Just because the stuff I’m reading isn’t very impressive, I shouldn’t assume that everyone else is doing likewise. But that’s what I'd like to find out. ’'m not sure that what you read is directly connected to who you are, but I’m curious what people are reading these days (besides this silly column). Does anyone read anymore? I'd love to hear from you about this.

Kristine Suzuki Editor-In-Chief

in a centre of higher education, shouldn’t we be » reading something a bit more stimulating for the The UPEI X-Press November 8, 1990 Page 3