Reading elicits mixed feelings among students—some love it while others hate it.
Books don’t have to be serious and boring. You shouldn’t have to dread the arrival of each new chapter, and the reason why you are is all under your control.
The feeling of cracking open a new book is indescribable, although actually getting into the story is a different thing entirely. Choosing the right book is the foundation to a pleasant reading experience and there are some important things to remember in the process. The importance in reading lies not in what you’re reading, but solely in the fact that you’ve picked up a book at all.
A couple months ago I decided to read “The Bell Jar” by Sylvia Plath, a semi-autobiographical political and social commentary. The next book I read was a gaudy romance novel with vague concepts of a plot. Can you guess which one took me only three hours and which three grueling weeks of my time?
Imagine this- you’re at a library, faced with rows upon rows of books, all shouting “Pick me!” like enthusiastic contestants on a late night dating show. Choosing the right one is crucial because much like a dating show contestant, it can either be a delightful companion or a dull, obligatory acquaintance. I find myself in a similar situation almost monthly.
I chose a sophisticated book that pretentious critics have rated a 10/10 and when I actually sit down to delve into it, I wish I never learned how to read. There is a certain pressure put onto students to challenge themselves academically with the kind of books that they choose to read, but this isn’t essential to the quality of one’s reading experience.
According to Edutopia, “Too much emphasis on analyzing the compositional nuts and bolts of texts and reading merely to absorb information came at a psychological cost, the researchers found, as students disengaged from voluntary reading.”
Students who don’t enjoy reading in school likely aren’t going to leap at the opportunity to challenge themselves when the choice is theirs. Even those who do enjoy analytical, school-related reading need a break every once in a while. Balance is essential. It’s possible for a student who doesn’t necessarily look forward to reading assigned literature in school to enjoy indulging in an easy, breezy personal choice book outside of school. Turning the page shouldn’t be a chore.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good philosophical read as much as the next girl. However, sometimes, I just want to lose myself in a bundle of nonsense that somehow snuck its way past publishers. The very act of sitting down to engage in a book, no matter the contents, brings a plethora of benefits.
“Reading to reduce stress involves choosing a genre you enjoy and taking a break from the regular hectic environment we often find ourselves in,” researchers at Cornerstone University stated. “Pausing for a brief stretch of time, whether short or long, can help you refocus, relax, and approach your life circumstances in a new light.”
In a world of relentless stress and never-ending tension, it’s essential to have an escape. A relaxing hobby that one can turn to in times of mental fatigue only brings benefits. Next time you find yourself scanning the shelves for your next read and you’re about to pick up that new Colleen Hoover release when suddenly you feel a pang of guilt as “Moby Dick” catches your eye, just ignore that feeling. The importance of your efforts lies not in the quality of literature that you are about to indulge in but in the fact that you had the motivation to pick up a book at all.
