One of the largest sentiments I have heard from SO MANY students, this year, in getting together with them before the beginning of break, as well as over Christmas Break, is how down and depressed many are due to feeling as if Christmas is not Christmas. I have heard this over and over and honestly, CAN YOU BLAME THEM when so much is happening that seems to push back against the feeling Christmas, TRUE Christmas, is supposed to be about? We have politics of course, world events, economic uncertainty, stress and climate challenges occurring all around us, as well as simply a feeling of materialism trying to push aside the real reason for the holiday.

Some of these above factors are something we face year after year after year, BUT, some have intensified this year. Yet, I digress. Let me share with you two experiences that I did not connect to the holidays at first, that seem definitely unrelated, and yet, hit what we need to do, I feel, to get through those feelings.

My first example started a few months ago, maybe three or so, when I student came up to me in the Walter P.J. Gilefski Media Center, and asked for a book, The Summer I Turned Pretty. I almost coughed with hilarity as the title made me absolutely laugh and of course a bad joke emanated where I asked, “What about the summer I turned ugly?” – (sounds like a horror film)- blank stare back from the student. She was not impressed with that bad joke and knew what she wanted. I looked into it, as as we are known to do, we went after her request quickly, and in a few days had this in her hand. I WAS curious though, because at the mention of this title, her friends around her came alive- and this was a BIG DEAL, but to me, the average not into romance stories guy, I was not as excited about this title as obviously her and her friends were. Often I ask students where they hear of their requests, and the most popular response has been Booktalk and I have to tell you, I am always impressed as it brings patrons into the school library AND it brings them back when I am able to get their requests for them.

It kept bugging me that day, knowing this was a series on Amazon Prime and finally, I thought, okay, okay OKAY, let me see what the buzz is about.

A few years, MANY years, I read a book titled Beach Music- by Pat Conroy – it just slammed into me and became one of my all time favorite books. The rhythm of the writing, the setting, it just always has remained there. I state this because from the first day of seeing the above mentioned series suggested, it dug into me. It hooked me, I was addicted to watching it to the end. The first weekend I thought I would try it out, I burned through episode 1 and 2- and DESPITE the romance not being my favorite genre, being present throughout I was transfixed. I loved the setting (despite it being a luxurious home I wished I was at 100%) – the characters and they way they played out- among the adults- I was simply stuck.

I went back to school – and one of my amazing students who dives into my need to do tasks were bantering about me watching this and jumping and I was asked- “Are you Team Jeremy or Team Conrad. Yes, a purely social media, tean question and yet here I was answering “Team Jeremy of course!” – and I was met with a look and return response of disbelief. Well, I knew it had to do with something I was missing, in the last season I had not committed to yet. So I cooled off watching it, for some reason, I did not run back to the last season to see why, and to be honest, I was a bit worried that the turn of events opposite of what I stated, would turn against me. So I waited, weeks, months, and finally, December the week of break, I committed to watching the rest. Why? I have no idea, but something inside said it is time.

Well, OKAY. I might have been a bit premature in claiming Team Jeremy, in fact, I was, Kind of. No spoilers but the reasons Team jeremy did what he did, many do in relationships, due to a lack of communication. Especially with the influence of social media today- a BAD replacement for general, good old fashioned communication that needs to take place between people. Sorry, that is my adult self – and I am 100% Team Conrad – in looking back, which we have the luxury to do in situations like these.

Misconceptions and realizations-

1. Adults should listen to teens more, and take a genuine interest in what interests them more to be able to have a shared dialogue with them. From an adult point of view- it keeps adults younger in many ways 🙂
2. I love the fact that a percentage of people think YA literature is for YA only – on so many levels YA reading is captivating and valuable to adults as well. https://thisdadreads.wordpress.com/2023/02/06/5-misconceptions-about-ya/
3. Despite the rich life being depicted in The Summer I Turned Pretty, I have to tell you this. This can be a reality for many if they have the right mind set meaning, NO, money is not everything as we see quite quickly, the individuals that have the most money in this setting often have the most problems. It is EASY to see not everyone has the life that these teens have to be able to make brash decisions and yet, we see on many occasions despite the money they come from, money is still a barrier on countless occasions. I like that. That fact is, I also like that the type of life you want to have does come as a result of decisions made, paths taken, and what you decide to act on. I do like that and take much of that away from this. So No, the ideal location of cousins I ultimately LOVE, and see it as a beacon of what can be, to many

WHAT does this have to do with my original thought of the reaction of teens I am reconnecting with from high school, now coming back in college, disenchanted from this holiday? As this particular series ended, it ended with it being Christmas, and the end you see the main characters (remember, no spoilers) with photos of their Christmas together- and with other family members but mainly a holiday because they are happy with the person they want to be with.

Despite the fact that so much doom and gloom continues to fight for a space in our life, we – each of us, owe it to each other, to our friends, to our family to push back against all the negative and keep the things that brighten our lives as the focus of this and every holiday. I LOVE, LOVE getting together with family and LOVE the fact that e haver a tradition of bringing back students together on their breaks and reconnecting on a somewhat regular basis to stay in touch.

Despite what is occuring, it is VITAL those connections we made stay connections, so we can support each other, laugh at the events that unfold as each of us move into different parts of our lives, but still strengthen the fact that literacy, in book form, in video form, in keeping our mind open to new genres literacy, as well as emphasizing the fact that school libraries and public libraries, can be places where we reenergize, where we push each other forward, encourage each other, and provide havens and shelter against the onslaught of negativity that swirls around us ona. daily basis.

I remain on a platform where I do not see youth represented enough at tables of discussion where there should have been place settings for them all along. Especially in a world that feels tbe best way is the quick, not think it through and not worry about the true facts and though and communicate way to get things done. However, involving youth with many generations of individuals along the way provides a much wider picture of what can be, what is, and what can be developed when we WORK TOGETHER, and not encourage divisiveness. This works best for me when I can have the opportunity to show a school library is a place where many individuals from all interests, not necessarily books, can come together and design a brighter future.

It is ironic that the one suggested book/show a student was looking for months ago, turned up coming to a conclusion before Christmas and carrying alot of the holiday spirit I was looking for, the connections I wanted to find, I was not finding in the world around us. All that from the request of one student and that says alot. It holds the promise of what we all have to gan from discovering each other’s interests and keeping an open mind to the very things we would immediately deem, not interested in.

I did mention two examples presented themselves, so stay tuned tomorrow for that second example. But also remember, it truly is a fact that the holidays are what we make them, and we can recreate the possibility that comes out of them with just a little shifting of our mindset. In this case, I owe, as I often do, to the optimism of a student who was interested in something I deemed outside of my sphere of interest. Yet it had everything to do with what we hope to find around Christmas!