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Before I entered middle school my father paid for a year-long National Geographic subscription. Every month, the magazine would be waiting on the doorstep of my home and as an enthusiastic little girl, I’d quickly rip off the plastic cover and admire the fascinating cover photo. I don’t ever remember a time that I was unimpressed with the stories inside the National Geographic Magazine. I was always in awe of the articles, especially the ones on science and world culture.
Soon after, my father subscribes to The Jersey Journal, a daily newspaper covering news throughout New Jersey. The newspaper was my favourite. Every day before going to school I’d read it. I’d save the word search for afterschool. I always knew the latest city news and because my mother was in the habit of listening to the 1010 AM radio station in the morning while dropping my siblings and I off to school, you bet I knew what was going on in the world too.
I don’t think my parents realized what they were doing. From sending my brothers and me to the library every day in the summer, to magazine subscriptions — I really think they were only trying their best to keep us occupied and also keep us from bothering them. But what they were actually doing was making me an avid reader. I started to love reading. I loved books so much that I’d often lose my library card — in the library. Some…
