Like all good things, reading in public without backlash has come to an end. Public reading, recently dubbed “performative reading,” has transformed into a criticized call for attention, perceived as an “aesthetic choice” into curating one’s unique image, an assertion of superiority over the people sitting next to you on electronics and an intentionally positioned avenue to attract a handsome stranger.
Despite all the meme-making and condemnation, as an avid reader I can testify to the enhanced experience of reading in public; warm sunlight and soft wind fluttering against your skin, the low chatter of the world unfocused around you, lush scenery which helps transport you out of the present and into the realm of words.
Therefore, it is important that in order to participate in performative reading without acting in aesthetically positioned performance, you must learn the subtle art of performative reading. The art of performative reading means reading in a manner that retroactively makes it seem as if you are not trying to garner attention, and in doing this your performative reading feels less like a “main character moment” and more like a genuine desire to be left alone and read publicly. The key to positioning yourself in a raw and authentic light is choosing your performative reading spot wisely, somewhere aesthetically pleasing so as to enhance your reading experience, but also somewhat private and out of the casual view, with a comfortable seating arrangement for your benefit.
On campus these essential spots are rare and few, but based on my personal experience of dodging criticism and attention making claims whilst enjoying my novel or catching up on reading between classes, I have narrowed down and ranked the five most aesthetic campus spots for performative readers.
5. Evelyn & Mo Ostin Music Café
Cafes are a classic reading spot: chairs, tables, coffee and croissants. Choosing the Music Café over other campus cafes is important because it is more low-key and suffers less foot traffic — thus creating the perception that you are not reading here for attention, only for the coffee and vibes.
4. Benches next to Shapiro Fountain
The two benches that sandwich the Shapiro Fountain are largely hidden by the bushes and the fountain itself and is thus a bubble of solitude amidst the usual foot traffic around the square. The benches provide a comfortable seating arrangement whilst the soft running water of the fountain makes for a serene backdrop to a reading experience. It’s just public enough to be spotted without making a spectacle of yourself, so if a handsome stranger does happen to see you … that’s hardly what you intended.
3. Botanical Gardens
While reaching the botanical gardens is a trek from the central spots on campus, it is an absolutely private garden with plenty of benches and tables for seating. Its serenity, lush vegetation and thus overall beauty offer an ideal respite from the metropolis that is university. If privacy and pleasing aesthetics are your ideal reading environment, the botanical gardens are essential.
2. Arcades lining Royce Hall
Nothing screams Harry Potter more than slotting under an arch of the covered walkway that lines the perimeter of Royce Hall. The brick colonnades, reminiscent of antique east coast and English buildings, are connected through a stone balustrade. If you are a reader chances are you’ve imagined yourself at Cambridge or Hogwarts once in your life, so make yourself comfortable along the balustrade of Royce’s aesthetic and medieval-ish arcades whilst bringing fantasy to life. While this location is a tad bit performance positioned, its aesthetic perks outweigh any fear of critics.
1. Statue Garden
Taking first place is the statue garden. The grass is soft and the land is extensive. During early mornings the leaves are crisp and dewy and all too beautiful. The statue garden sees a high volume of readers already and is thus the most acceptable spot to read performatively. Besides, nothing beats laying out on the grass with a book in your hand, the sun on your skin, and the strange statues staring at you with judgement.
There’s never a good thing if it can’t be done with a cup of coffee in your hand, so whether you want a steaming warm mug or an iced shot of energy, campus coffee shops to pop in before your trek to any of the spots I listed (unless you’re on the way to #5) include Kerckhoff Coffee House, Jimmy’s Coffee House and Mycha. I’d like to end on a foreboding note for matcha drinkers — even someone most well-versed in the nuanced art of performative reading will never escape the social destitution of reading while drinking matcha, an act of extreme performativity. By following this outlined art of performative reading, you will never feel like a fraud for reading on campus publicly again.
