Some people think of reading as a pastime. Others consider it a requirement for certain classes. Before his sophomore year, Ethan Joseph (12) was part of the latter group. However, during the pandemic, he began to see books as a way of discovering different perspectives in worlds that, while unlike ours on the surface, enhance our understanding of our own world.

“I was curious about different people’s experiences,” Ethan said. “I wanted to have a better sense of the world and why people do things. At the time, there was a book series that I was interested in, and it had some of the answers that I thought were relevant to me.”

Ethan most often reads books like “Lord of the Rings” and “Dune,” which both take place in alternate worlds created by their authors. He believes there are several misconceptions surrounding the fantasy genre.

“[People think that] they are completely fantastical and make-believe,” Ethan said. “But there’s a lot of reality in fiction. Since it’s very real, being able to immerse yourself in a world that is very different from our own is a unique experience.”

The world building in fantasy books, which includes the scenery and types of characters, intrigued Ethan especially. Despite differences from our world, fantasy settings still connect back to aspects of real life that he finds relatable.

“The amount of work that went into crafting fantasy worlds makes reading about them an enjoyable experience,” Ethan said. “Even though it’s fictional, there is still reason for it and a sense of understanding. There has been a lot of meticulous world-building and in-depth characters.”

In addition to reading, Ethan spends much of his free time playing many fantasy video games that feature similar settings and stories. He respects the amount of effort put into creating these worlds and characters by developers.

“In most of the games I’ve played, the stories and worlds are really well developed,” Ethan said. “I think the true testament to how good a game is if you can go back and play it and still enjoy it. With my favorite games, I’ve been able to go back and enjoy them again.”

Rahul Herrero (12) met Ethan in middle school through playing soccer during lunch. Although Ethan did not read fantasy books at the time, Rahul noticed how Ethan’s interest in fantasy worlds peaked after the return from the pandemic.

“When he starts getting into a fantasy video game or book series, he loves to go deep into the lore of it,” Rahul said. “He reads the appendices of the books and learns about the entire history behind the characters and the entire world. He loves the world-building aspects of fantasies.”

Atri Banerjee (12) has also seen Ethan delve deep into the lore of fantasy worlds, with Ethan often reading during his free time at school. However, Ethan finds time to talk to his friends and support them in the activities they’re passionate about.

“He offered to help me set up Chess Club booths even though he’s not an officer and he doesn’t have any specific role in the club,” Atri said. “He did it out of his good will and his nature to help people.”

Upper school math teacher Caren Furtado, who taught Ethan during his junior year, valued Ethan’s presence in the classroom as he was always willing to help others understand the material. Never condescending towards other students, he always supported others to the best of his ability.

“If I put him in a group, with people who didn’t know the material, he would never make them feel small about it,” Furtado said. “It would just be ‘Oh, let me show you how it’s done,’ not ‘What’s wrong with you?’ He was a very appreciated student.”

In retrospect of his high school journey, Ethan noted how he did not get overly anxious over work that he needed to finish. After he figured out how to better manage his time during sophomore year, he found himself with more free time to read and play soccer.

“I try not to worry too much about things that are out of my control,” Ethan said. “While work is something that I am extremely aware of, I try not to let it tremendously get to me. It’s understanding that there are things that need to get done, but not letting them overwhelm you.”