Stealing Buddha’s Dinner’ teaches critical lessons
High school students are often deluded into believing college has less homework to offer. Yet, this delusion was crushed for me by the end of June when the University of Idaho sent out a letter to students requiring the book “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner” to be read by the start of their Integrated Seminar class.
Amanda Vu
Like many other students, I thought my summer was ruined.
The Common Read program seemed ridiculous and the book became a torture device rather than a literary work to appreciate. Little did the students know the benefits they were to receive from reading the book.
With eight colleges and over 100 majors available just for a bachelor’s degree, undergraduate students will enroll in different courses, grow interests in different subjects and struggle through different exams. Having read the same book at the beginning of their college career provides a mutual starting point for students before they diverge into their own paths. They all have the one book to discuss in class, to write analytical essays on and to either enjoy or dread reading over the summer.
The transition from high school to college life often brings difficulty and frustration to students who are unable to easily adjust to the changes.
The Common Read, along with the Integrated Seminar courses, is designed specifically for first-year students to “introduce them to academic expectations, respectful discourse, and community building.”
According to UI, the purpose of the Common Read program is to “engage the university and Moscow community, its students, staff, faculty and community members, in a unified intellectual activity.”
Academic expectations indicate that students should be prepared to discuss and write a paper based upon a reading assignment, an applicable skill to every college course. Respectful discourse allows for students to freely form and share their own opinions. Those who dislike the content of the book are welcomed to speak their criticism.
Community building refers to the widening of student perspectives by presenting them a new cultural aspect — students learn to understand and appreciate diversity within a community.
The Common Read book was wisely chosen to ensure the book appeals to every Integrated Seminar class and the students can gain some valuable knowledge from the reading.
In 2012, the Common Read was “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot, narrating the story of a girl whose cells were used for scientific research without her being aware of it. Regardless of a student’s career choice, this book raised questions on the balance between ethical behaviors and the ambition to succeed in the workplace.
This year’s selection was “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner” by Bich Minh Nguyen. “Stealing Buddha’s Dinner” is a recollection of a girl who struggled to assimilate into a new culture and at the same time maintain her cultural origin. Not only did this book open readers’ outlook to a whole new culture, it encouraged personal development from overcoming the challenges of growing up and searching for a place of belonging.
Of course freshmen would prefer reading the book as the class progresses, instead of forcing themselves to finish the book over the summer. Yet, some students failed to realize that completing a summer reading assignment over the summer instead of during the school year would eliminate some stress during the semester.
The Common Read offers students a chance at having common interests to their peers and learn life lessons at the same time. So instead of complaining about a chance to learn, realize that summer reading assignments were not a waste of time.
Amanda Vu can be reached at [email protected]