The Library Streak

As many of you know, I am a runner. Not a particularly fast or skilled one, but a determined and dedicated one. Yet, this year I am choosing not to participate in the Runner's World Run Streak. Designed to maintain healthy habits during a time of year where it is otherwise challenging to be healthy, it requires one mile a day from the runner each day between Black Friday and Christmas. But not for me. Not this year.

Why? Because I'm adopting a new streak. The library streak. From December 1st until Christmas (or Christmas Eve, depending on when they close for the holiday), I plan to spend part of each day at the library. Be it a campus library (mine or another school in the area), the neighborhood library, or the main library downtown (where I spent my first two days, and have LOVED the atmosphere), I'm spending some of each day surrounded by books.

The reasons for this are many. First and foremost, the library gives me the space, time and concentration to study for the upcoming GRE (December 11th, folks, and there will be MUCH partying when I'm done!). After that, it'll allow me to dedicate time to a few articles and other written pieces that I'm itching to work on. But most of all, it'll give me a sense of academic discipline that I miss when I'm not in school, one that I'll need should I be accepted to school in the fall. Moreover, I have free access to books. Books, for me, are a serious money suck. For someone with aspirations of a Beauty and the Beast style library and nowhere near the income to accommodate such wishes, a library is the safest place to be- all the trappings of Belle's library without the severe financial commitment.

And lastly, it brings me to a place I haven't spent enough quality time in since I was a child. As a lifetime avid reader, the library became home to me when I needed a book to read for vacation but didn't own it. It was a place to explore, to learn, to be quiet and thoughtful in a place made for just that. I've missed that. So I'm coming back. Thus far, it has accepted me.

As I wrap up day 3 of the library streak, I leave you with another ringing endorsement of the library system :)