Vizzini shares experience with campus

    Life is kind of a funny story, according to Ned Vizzini, author of this year’s Freshman Reading Experience book.
    Vizzini’s third book, “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” was selected by Murray State’s administration to be read by all incoming freshmen this year.
    Vizzini was on campus Monday for a book signing as well as appearing as the keynote speaker at the annual New Student Convocation.
    His book tells the story, sometimes funny and sometimes not, of a 15-year-old student who checks into the psychiatric ward of a hospital as a result of his school-induced stress. 
    According to many freshmen students at Monday’s book signing, the book was an especially appropriate choice for the Freshmen Reading Experience.
     “It’s easy to read because it was directed toward our age group,” Molly Fender, freshman from Murray, said.
    Vizzini said not only is the book interesting because of its subject matter, but because it is also semi-autobiographical.
    At the New Student Convocation, Vizzini revealed that he had spent five days in a psychiatric ward, which provided the inspiration for the book’s protagonist Craig Gilner’s time in the hospital.
    Many students said the insight into Vizzini’s personal experiences allowed them to connect to both the author and the character.
    “I felt like I was a part of his life,” freshman Rebecca Garth from Murray, said. “I knew him.”
    The novel’s story and wisdom were not Vizzini’s only contribution to Murray State students and faculty.
    During the convocation, he gave them his “Three ideas on how not to go completely crazy while you’re at college.”
    He advised students to “keep your antenna up.”             “[In college], look around and see if there’s anything you really like and then follow it,” Vizzini said.
    His second point was “don’t sell yourself short.”
    “The worst thing that can happen is that you will fail,” he said. “Don’t worry, it’ll work out … or it won’t!” 
    Finally, he told students “stress is not a real threat.”
    “Stress is a response to a perceived threat, not a real one,” Vizzini said. “A test is not a bear. It won’t kill you.”
 “I loved it,” Cody Fox, freshman from St. Louis, Mo., said of Vizzini’s speech. “It told me that it’s never over. Keep going and things will fall together.”
    Vizzini’s book is scheduled for release as a feature-length film.
    “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” is expected to be released to theaters in 2011.
    Liz Powell can be reached at elizabeth.powell@murraystate-
. edu