EDITORIAL: As the semester begins, Targum editors share what they read to keep themselves grounded
The Daily Targum's editors reflect on what they read to destress and keep them going
One way to destress, keep up on the news, learn more or just engage with the world, is through reading. The Daily Targum's editorial board recommends some of their favorite books, topics, genres and mediums.
Isabella Tyszka, editor-in-chief: “When the semester starts, it's really hard to craft enough space in your schedule to read for fun. Class readings really take a toll on your brain, especially when the professor promises it won't be much, and it turns out that there's easily 75 pages due per class. So, when my brain isn't short-circuiting and/or recovering from those readings, I really enjoy reading fiction, magical surrealism and poetry. I'd say my favorite author is Haruki Murakami.”
Victoria Yeasky, managing editor: “One thing I love reading is fashion magazines! I have a subscription to a few of them now and think they're so much fun. Whether it's the style concepts or the feature stories or the photography, I love everything about them. If I can't get my hands on a physical copy, I love reading about and looking at fashion online and on social media, too!”
Astha Lakhankar, head news editor: “Lately, I’ve been reading a lot of long-form articles in publications such as The New Yorker and The Atlantic. In addition to the fact that they’re well researched and well reported, the articles' narrative format makes their content all the more engaging for readers.”
Kithmy Wickramasinghe, associate news editor: “I enjoy reading fiction novels as it's a great way to relax and step away from the world for a little while. I used to read quite a bit, but with schoolwork and other commitments, I haven't had the time. I've recently started rereading one of my childhood favorites, the Percy Jackson series, which has been really fun. Another recent read was 'The Way of Kings' by Brandon Sanderson, which I highly recommend for anyone looking for great world-building in a fantasy book.”
Claire Bruno, associate news editor: “During my free time, I sometimes enjoy reading articles from The New Yorker magazine. I really like this publication in particular because I find that it teaches me so much while also being really interesting.
"My favorite pieces to read are the stories that put political actions into perspective for readers, such as ones that are written from interviewing Americans after legal decisions are made and tell how the politics impact the people from their own points of view. It feels productive because I can learn about current events while also reading for leisure.”
Ricky Suta, opinions editor: “I believe reading is a great way to destress. I appreciate memoirs and creative nonfiction. Susan Sontag, Elaine Scarry and James Baldwin are some of my favorites. I also have been plowing through anything written by J.M. Coetzee. As the opinions editor, I also really enjoy anything that advances ideas or exposes me to different perspectives. In particular, I read anything in The Atlantic and the opinion section of The New York Times.”
Dylan McCoy, head sports editor: “I enjoy reading other student publications, and the Indiana Daily Student has some of the best student journalism work in the nation.”
Jack Bisaha, associate sports editor: “I like to read about various eras of history. Learning about history has always been a hobby of mine that I enjoy with some of my favorite periods being the World Wars and Ancient Rome. Recently, I have enjoyed learning about Roman history since I believe we can trace a lot of our habits and culture in western society today to the Romans.”
Vy Nguyen, head copy editor: “When I'm looking for new reading material, I tend to gravitate toward fiction with whimsical, historical and often romantic elements. I don't read as much as I want to, but when I do make time for it, I like to read dreamy books that offer a chance to forget about life in favor of something a little more exciting.”
Henry Wang, photography editor: "I love reading memoirs — it's essentially like learning about someone's world view and life in your hands."
Chris Kim, head video editor: “I know that this is a controversial thing to say coming from a journalism and media studies major, but I will get invested in random topics and spend time reading through their Wikipedia pages. I just finished reading about classic children’s stories and how different they are from their modern-day counterparts. It's just something I like to do for fun.”
Jonny Berkowitz, associate video editor: “Probably the only book I have read cover to cover that I love is 'Beastie Boys Book'. Greatest book ever written, and that's on God.”
Meredith MacLean, inside beat editor: “I’ve been reading a lot more pieces on internet culture lately, which have been really interesting. We spend so much time on the internet, but we don’t really consider or talk about circles of the internet that don’t involve us. I’m not a mom, so I only knew bits and pieces about the 'safe sleep' discourse on TikTok until I read this piece about sleep training in The Cut which really opened my mind to a lot of the toxicity out there.”
Rachel Chang, social media editor: “I love reading a variety of things, but my current reads right now are 'A Court of Mist and Fury' by Sarah J. Maas and 'Crying in H Mart' by Michelle Zauner. Both are very different (one is very entertaining, and the other makes me cry a lot and embrace my Korean identity even more), but I thoroughly enjoy reading them.”
The Daily Targum's editorials represent the views of the majority of the 154th editorial board. Columns, cartoons and letters do not necessarily reflect the views of the Targum Publishing Company or its staff.
