What’s the Deal With Reading?

Why should anyone pick up a book? They sit in one place, looking over a bunch of words repeatedly, and do nothing until the book is finished. Have you really tried to find a book you might actually enjoy? Have you allowed yourself to become emersed in a novel that consumed you? Reading is one of the most beneficial and entertaining hobbies to have.

Reading has a stigma among younger generations. The books that we read are usually the books we are forced to read for school, eventually quiz on, and write a paper about after. Picking up that assigned book is hard, even for a reader like me. I like to read what I want to read, not what is required of me. It takes the fun out of it. There is no more anticipation or forcing myself to put the book down and waiting all day until the moment I can pick it up again. If it’s a book I enjoy, my thoughts are full of the story unfolding. Instead, reading has become annotating random words and sentences to prove I’ve read the book, or finding the smallest symbolic details so I can hopefully do well on the assessment I will inevitably take.

Lately, reading has become more popular amongst teenagers. I used to hide my book in my backpack, but now I can place it on my desk and not be the only one reading at every opportunity in class. I can read in public places and instead of being judged, I’ll be asked about it. I might even find someone who has also read the book and discuss others that are like it. Now, my TBR (to be read) list grows and I have gained a friend!

People who don’t read are truly missing out. They must not realize that reading is like a movie in your brain except better. From bigger aspects of the book to the smallest of details that a movie on a budget will only cut out or change. There is nothing like the feeling you get when expanding your imagination to form the place the book describes or the face of the character that draws you in. Or maybe it’s the endings that leave your heart full, your mind pondering, and already trying to find another book that helps you chase that feeling.

If that is not enough reason for you, bring it back to school. Think about how much easier English would be if you read: your writing would improve because you have exposed yourself to different writing styles and new vocabulary as well as unique sentence structuring. Further from that, your ACT score, especially the reading section, will excel as well.

I think the main problem is that people have not found what they like to read, and maybe they have not truly looked. If this is you, go back to the movie example. What type of movies do you gravitate to, or even what movies have been adapted from a book series. For example, Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Book Thief, The Secret Garden, Game of Thrones, and even more. If that doesn’t work for you, then try out different genres or even just reading the synopsis and see what is right for you and what interests you. There could be multiple genres you are interested in or maybe just one, but there are thousands of options throughout both outcomes.

There are multiple different resources as well for the different readers that are looking. If you can’t sit still, listen to an audio book. If you don’t want to spend money, you can go to the library, or there are many websites where you can download books for free. If you are a reader like me who reads more than I can afford, a kindle unlimited option might be better for you.

I can only hope more people continue to pick up a book and experience what they have to offer. To those who don’t like to read, but have you really tried? I encourage you to try different genres and resource options. There’s something out there for you to read if you look hard enough.