We're in the age of movies, television, and YouTube — that is a simple fact of current life. As much as I love my weekly fix of "The Walking Dead" and eating popcorn in the middle of a movie theater, I cannot find myself in a position to put aside my books.

How can I, after all? How could I possibly stop reading when it's something I love to do with my time? There's something about the feel of paperbacks, the weight of hardcovers, and the stories written on the pages between that I find wholly enrapturing and thrilling, more than any party, and even more welcoming than my own room at times.

There's a realization that I will never be a princess in a far-off nation of fantasy, will never be able to experience society of time's past, and will hopefully never find myself in a futuristic utopia. Reading, however, gives me the chance to experience so much more than I could imagine, written by those who have imagined. I can immerse myself in glimpses of history, imagined bits of the future, and thoughts of the present. While I would never wish to find myself in some grotesque images of Poe, for example, for the duration of scouring paragraphs and turning pages, I can hear the raven, feel the chill of dungeons, and feel my heartbeat just as if I was the one actually in distress. It is this vividness that continues to draw me in and bring me back to Barnes and Noble for a new adventure, a new experience, a new life to live in for a brief time.

The argument could be made that I could experience the same feelings and the same experiences if I just waited to watch the movie. To that, however, I disagree. A movie is limited in its own right. Where the average novel lacks in visuals, saves for descriptions of characters and settings, the reader is given the room between the lines to fill in the blanks and create their own mental image. Meanwhile, though a movie sets a scene and gives actors for the characters described, it is limited by its singular interpretation. Out of these two options, I'd prefer to choose the former and paint my own picture when reading.

So why do I read? I read because it is something that I am passionate about and enjoy doing. If there comes a time that I lose interest in all books and the effort put into reading, then I am sure I will find a new outlet. However, for now, I find comfort and pleasure in blocks of text, interpreting the author's language, and turning pages. I read because I love it, and enjoy the knowledge and outlet it gives me.