A lot of college students, myself included, fall off the horse of reading books during the semester. I can't remember the last time I read for pleasure without feeling stressed, rushed, or at least guilty for not studying. However, when the studying is done, reading is the last thing I want to do. I remember reading all the time when I was younger. In the car, after school, sometimes even in school, and hardly stopping for anything. Maybe it was because the stories stopped being so interesting and free, but I think I stopped for bad reasons.
It's certainly not that I don't enjoy reading for pleasure, and it's not a dying pastime in our world just yet, but I have left all my favorite worlds on my bookshelf. Reading is not something that should end. There's a million reasons to read, and given the right circumstances, I could talk someone's ear off about all of them.
Why someone would choose not to read is not clear to me. And yet, for the moment, I am the person who chooses not to read. This seems to be true across the board, and there's article after article about college students not reading for pleasure anymore. They've got it right, too. I remember a friend and I sitting in the dining hall at school and actively pointing out someone reading a book not usually assigned for class, because it seemed strange.
It's not because we don't want to be reading, though. If you ask around, I'm sure you'll find this attitude is accurate. Or is it?
If you take out "I've been reading too many textbooks," you're probably left with "I don't have time." But can we make time? This article details switching the attitude from a lack of time to a lack of priority--and maybe that can fix this lack of reading. I used to squeeze a chapter in during a 4-minute class break, but now I can't seem to during a 15-minute break, because my priorities lie somewhere else now.
Sometimes, I think that's the right thing. It's hard to definitively say yes or no about that, but sometimes, lines can be drawn. A break spent sending emails about an internship or important event might be more relevant than a book. But maybe it's time to replace the scrolling of social media and Netflix binges with reading again. It all depends on the priority level, and not much else.
In an effort to make reading a priority again, I've been setting goals and making an attempt to have time dedicated to a single book, each day. Just like exercise, it's not nearly as hard after you've started. And falling in love with words again most certainly won't hurt.
