When I was in high school I didn’t like reading. One of my English teachers assignments was to read 12 books a semester. What did I read? The Twilight Saga, because they counted as 3 books each. The book genre’s didn’t bother me, it was the fact that I was reading them for a grade.

It’s not until I was in my 20’s where I was shopping at my local Goodwill and picked up a few used books and started reading them as soon as I got home. That’s when I fell in love with reading. I was reading because I wanted to read. Not because I had to.

There’s something about picking up a book and reading words that lead to a story that left you craving for more. They say people read to escape and others read to find themselves. I do both.

It could be anything. A classic novel, poetry, young adults, memoirs, anything with a meaning and a story, or no story at all, just words.

What I learned was books were about movement, quests and journeys. They are about creating new chapters and leaving old ones behind.

Being a full-time student, I always find time to read. Even if it's a few pages, reading completes my day. Being able to sit down and relax and read where I left off or even waking up and being lazy for a few hours, reading relaxes me.

Yes, I’m one of those who would rather go to a bookstore than the mall. I could be in there for hours, of course, they have to close sometimes. The vibes and atmosphere of a bookstore are not something you can experience anywhere else, trust me.

There are so many reasons why I think everyone can read for fun. Here are a few. Reading can increase your vocabulary and writing skills. By reading, you see new words every day and if you don’t know what a word means, you don’t always have to pull out your dictionary, sometimes, the sentence leads to the definition.

If you are a writer, reading can improve your writing skills. How an author tells a story can improve how you write yours. As a future journalist, I love writing. Being able to tell stories and inform others about what is going on is my purpose for writing.

While reading, you tend to fall in love with the characters. You can’t help but put yourself in their shoes and relate to the character. That’s when you know you've got a good book. Now you're reading for fun.

I don’t see reading as a chore or challenge on how many books I can read in a month. I read because it makes me happy. If I’m loving a book, I could finish it in a week. But if I’m taking my time, It could take me a month to finish a book. Enjoy reading, don’t feel forced to read, because that will suck the fun out of it.