On the Topic of Annotating....

 I have to admit, my attitude towards annotation has oft been one of indifference at the best of times.

It's both a boon and a curse that I've had the pleasure of learning useful annotating practices from my instructors in the past; in high school, my teachers were adamant on leaving comments as annotation, and I fail to recall being encouraged to use simple highlights, underlines, or other symbols to grab attention. You might think to yourself, what could be the downside of learning proper, or at least passable, annotating techniques, and, honestly, the logical through line doesn't quite flow at first glance, or even over multiple glances. Rather, my great grievance with the annotating lies with the process itself.

Yes, I do admit that annotating is an incredibly useful tool academically, as students are highly unlikely to recall all the great ideas they had whilst reading a couple of days later when actually drafting an essay or the like. 

And yes, writing comments instead of symbols helps to preserve the state of mind that was present when reading and making said annotation. 

Annotating is a tried and true process that allows one to create footnotes for them to use, reflect on, or investigate at a later time, of that, there is little to no question. I have used annotation extensively thus far, and it has produced desirable results.

With all that said, I really couldn't care less. 

I believe that one of the greatest facets of reading lies in immersion, getting so invested into a narrative that you can glance at the clock, perhaps a passing fancy, see that the hours have passed you by, and find it to be of little consequence. Immersion is the hallmark of good writing, be it literature, cinematography, or gaming. Even if you haven't lost yourself in the pages of a novel--an experience that I sincerely hope everyone enjoys at least once--I would imagine that you've at least been glued to the edge of your seat in a theatre, or wrapped up in the story of a game. To internalize an experience is a blessing, and one of the brightest highlights of living.

And thus, my grievance: annotation prevents immersion. Perhaps this is an issue unique to me, but I cannot live alongside characters, see their world as if it were my own, when constantly being pulled away to take note of my every thought. The experience feels wholly businesslike, rather than the self-contained joy it ought to be. 

Is there joy to be had in annotating, in laying bare your thoughts, however insignificant they may seem, and exploring where they take you in analytic soliloquy? There very well may be, but does it equal or outweigh that of immersion? For another individual, perhaps, but I have yet to feel that ebullience.

That in mind, I will say that I use sticky notes when annotating, which may be related to my distaste for annotation, as it takes slightly longer than other methods. Irregardless, I absolutely refuse to write in books; it is a feeling of defilement and sacrilege that barrages my mind whenever I see it done, and would much rather leave temporary marks for temporary use.