Why Fanfiction Matters

by Meghan Mitchell '23 on April 20, 2023
Opinion Staff

Opinion

Fanfiction is a strange topic. When mentioning it, you’re bound to be met with a wide range of reactions, from “You write fanfiction too?” to “You mean that nerdy fiction that tweens write?” As someone who has been in the fanfiction community for quite a while, I have seen my fair share of both well-written stories with in-depth characters and vivid world-building… and fiction that reads like it was written by twelve-year-olds who forgot spell check exists. Regardless, even the worst writers improve as they age, honing their writing skills and eventually creating something worth hyper-fixating on. However, despite the harmless fun of writing about characters of certain fandoms, many people still disregard fanfiction as a childish hobby. What these people fail to realize is that fanfiction does matter, for a variety of reasons.

The first is fan interaction. It seems like certain fandoms such as Harry Potter, Supernatural, and even Twilight just won’t die despite their stories concluding years ago. That is mainly due to the number of dedicated fans still writing and reading about these characters. While the stories aren’t written by the authors of the original source material, fan interpretations can either be a refreshing look at a character or be so similar to the author’s work that it’s hard to tell the difference. Just because the main story is over doesn’t mean it has to stop for readers. In addition, fanfiction can be used as a creative outlet and allow people to become better writers.

Writing can also be therapeutic. Sometimes people will write a character with whom they feel a connection in a situation similar to one that they are currently experiencing, to better cope with the event. This is an example of what someone would call a comfort character. As strange as it may sound, doing this can be a real benefit to people as it helps them feel less alone in whatever situation they are facing.

The last issue is the judgment fanfiction writers face. Fanfiction writers get called childish or face mocking because of the stereotype of it being something only tween girls do. To this, I ask: why do people care so much about what someone does in their free time? There are worse things people can do than writing stories about fictional characters. It’s also not like fanfiction is anything new; some classic literary works we read in Civ, such as Dante’s Inferno, could be considered fanfiction. It keeps people creative, and some of the best storytellers of the modern era got their start by writing fanfiction. It allows people to connect and form bonds in ways they wouldn’t be able to normally. It’s an experience unlike any other, and instead of being scorned, it should be encouraged to allow people to dream and be creative with the characters they love.

The Great Audiobook Debate

by Samantha Dietel '23 on February 16, 2023
Opinion Staff

Opinion

Stop Asking Whether It Counts as Reading

There is no greater debate in the book world than whether audiobooks count as reading. Avid readers will argue that listening to a book while busy doing other things cannot compare to sitting down and holding a book in your hands. Many people view listening to a book as cheating—a fake accomplishment. Others find that audiobooks are a great way to stay caught up with your reading goals if you are dealing with a busy schedule and are always on the go. Additionally, there’s the added benefit of choosing the speed you want the book to be. If you’re looking to keep up your reading goals while making the most of your time, an audiobook sounds perfect. However, if your goal is to optimize retention and learn the material of a book, listening to the text may not be the best path.

Numerous psychological studies have been conducted on the format in which books are presented and what relationship this has with our comprehension and retention of the material. Based on their results, it would seem that the old-fashioned physical copy of a book is the best way to read. When reading, research has found that 10 to 15 percent of eye movement is spent rereading what we have already read. This process of rereading happens so quickly that we don’t even realize we’re doing it. However, it can significantly increase our comprehension of the text—far more than listening to the text read aloud to us.

Further, as college students, we are all busy and often try to manage multiple activities at once. It is for this reason that an audiobook may seem so appealing. However, with this busy schedule, it is not uncommon for our minds to wander as we read. This occurs no matter the book’s format. However, with a physical book, it is much easier to find the place where you lost your train of thought. You might still be on the same page or even paragraph. With an audiobook, however, it is more difficult to find where you drifted from the text as the speaker kept going, whether you were paying attention or not.

The distinction between reading formats may be most important when reading for class. If you know that the material being covered in the book is important to comprehend, you need to consider which format will help you learn best. A study from 2010 showed that students who read a lesson on paper performed significantly better on a comprehension quiz than students who listened to a podcast of the same lesson. This continues to support the idea that having the text in front of you and going through the physical process of reading is the best way to retain what you have read.

However, the need to retain the material depends entirely on your purpose for reading the text in the first place. If the reading covers particularly challenging concepts for school or work, this may impact which format you decide to choose. If you’re reading a lighter and easier novel for fun, the difference in comprehension may not matter. If anything, you may prefer the audiobook style that lets you enjoy reading during the semester while still accomplishing your other daily goals. It can seem impossible to keep up with reading during the semester if you need to carve out time in your schedule to sit and focus on nothing but the physical book in your hand. Additionally, audiobooks can be cheaper than buying new books from a bookstore while also avoiding the hassle of having to wait for a book to come in or facing the possibility that the store you visit doesn’t have what you are looking for. With audiobooks, you can begin reading them immediately, with access to nearly any text you could want.

Whichever format you choose, you are still reading the material. It is ableist to deny that an audiobook counts as reading. Disability drives innovation—finding new and creative ways to accommodate disabilities has been beneficial to the entire population. Looking at the history of books, audio technology allowed a world of people to enjoy something that was initially invented to help a smaller population have the same opportunities to engage with literature. So, yes—audiobooks do count as reading. This is not something that can be argued. What can be debated is which reading format will best suit your needs and give you your desired outcome, which depends entirely on your purpose for reading.

Delicious Dishes from Around the World: PC Cultural Clubs Celebrate Diversity

by The Cowl Editor on December 6, 2018

Campus

Gaelic Society and SOMOS offer various potato themed dishes.

by Kyle Burgess ’21

News Staff

In keeping with a week full of themed cuisine nights sponsored by Providence College’s numerous student-run cultural clubs, Friartown’s Circolo Italiano brought the flavors of the Bel Paese to McPhail’s this past Tuesday. Students had a wide array of traditional Italian dishes to choose from, such as chicken and eggplant parmesan, gnocchi, penne and broccoli, and desserts like cannolis and cheesecake.

Mangia Night continues to be a fan-favorite of students at PC as it has been for the past eight years. “What first inspired it was the traditional Sunday dinner which a lot of Italians do at home,” explained Felicia Lopez ’19, vice president of the club. “We wanted a way to bring our Friar Family and Italian culture together, hence why we invented Mangia as a means of keeping this tradition alive here on campus.”

Il Circolo also has several functions in the works to continue sharing and showcasing their Italian heritage with the student body. On Thursday, December 6, for example, the club plans to collaborate with the College’s Italian department to host a day of celebration of Italian heritage in Sullivan 212.

Additionally, the club hopes to ring in St. Joseph’s Day with zeppoles and other Italian pastries this coming March, along with a wine tasting event next semester for those 21 and older.

Alongside PC’s Italian club, other student organizations such as Campus Ministry, the Gaelic Society in partnership with Students Obtaining the Meaning of Spanish (SOMOS), and the Board of Multicultural Student Affairs (BMSA) also held food-related events this past week.

Campus Ministry held a beignet run on Thursday, November 29 that helped raise funds for their upcoming NOLA immersion trip in 2019. This trip allows students to take part in working alongside the New Orleans community that is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

BMSA hosted Cheesefest in ’64 Hall on Monday, November 26, to share cheese-themed dishes from around the world with the student body. BMSA holds this event every year, making it a fun-filled and delicious event the PC student body always looks forward to.

“Cheesefest is an annual opportunity for PC to come together to celebrate the glory of cheese as well as eleborate culture and explore the tradition of food in various cultures and places around the world,” Hannah Mackie ’19, vice president of BMSA.

Other on-campus events included a potato mash co-sponsored by PC’s Gaelic Society and SOMOS, which showcased traditional dishes of Irish and hispanic cultures. “We really loved the opportunity to co-sponsor with SOMOS because there are so many fantastic cultures represented on this campus and BMSA gives us a chance to show them to the greater PC community,” explained Camille Greaney ’19, vice president of Gaelic Society. “I have always found that sharing food is a great way to come together and what better food to share than potatoes!”

With the semester coming to a close and finals just around the corner, these clubs have helped students take a break from the workload to enjoy some good food and learn more about the cultures at PC.