diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 20220a5b..069a3985 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ edition = "2018"
 clap = "2.32.0"
 indicatif = "0.9.0"
 console = "0.6.2"
-syntect = "3.0.2"
 notify = "4.0.0"
 toml = "0.4.10"
 serde = {version = "1.0.10", features = ["derive"]}
diff --git a/default_out.md b/default_out.txt
similarity index 88%
rename from default_out.md
rename to default_out.txt
index f88969d6..55eaa978 100644
--- a/default_out.md
+++ b/default_out.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-Thanks for installing `rustlings`!
+Thanks for installing Rustlings!
 
-## Is this your first time?
+Is this your first time?
 
 Let's make sure you're up to speed:
 - You have Rust installed, preferably via `rustup`
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ Let's make sure you're up to speed:
 - You have installed Rust language support for your editor
 - You have locally installed the `rustlings` command by running:
 
-```sh
 cargo install --path .
-```
 
 If you've done all of this (or even most of it), congrats! You're ready
 to start working with Rust.
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 744888f1..85c91b94 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -6,14 +6,9 @@ use notify::DebouncedEvent;
 use notify::{RecommendedWatcher, RecursiveMode, Watcher};
 use std::ffi::OsStr;
 use std::fs;
-use std::io::BufRead;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::sync::mpsc::channel;
 use std::time::Duration;
-use syntect::easy::HighlightFile;
-use syntect::highlighting::{Style, ThemeSet};
-use syntect::parsing::SyntaxSet;
-use syntect::util::as_24_bit_terminal_escaped;
 
 mod exercise;
 mod run;
@@ -35,9 +30,6 @@ fn main() {
         )
         .get_matches();
 
-    let ss = SyntaxSet::load_defaults_newlines();
-    let ts = ThemeSet::load_defaults();
-
     if None == matches.subcommand_name() {
         println!();
         println!(r#"       welcome to...                      "#);
@@ -92,13 +84,8 @@ fn main() {
     }
 
     if matches.subcommand_name().is_none() {
-        let mut highlighter =
-            HighlightFile::new("default_out.md", &ss, &ts.themes["base16-eighties.dark"]).unwrap();
-        for maybe_line in highlighter.reader.lines() {
-            let line = maybe_line.unwrap();
-            let regions: Vec<(Style, &str)> = highlighter.highlight_lines.highlight(&line, &ss);
-            println!("{}", as_24_bit_terminal_escaped(&regions[..], true));
-        }
+        let text = fs::read_to_string("default_out.txt").unwrap();
+        println!("{}", text);
     }
 
     println!("\x1b[0m");