When I was in elementary school I remember jumping at the opportunity to raid the local library for a stack of books. It was a proud day when I graduated from the kids section to the young adult section! But somehow in the years following that youthful exuberance, reading became a dreaded chore for homework. I can’t put my finger on how that quite happened but I do know that it affects millions of students who lose affinity for the written word for good.

My childhood was filled with series which my friends discussed as raptly as the latest Stranger Things episode. Household heroes like Percy Jackson and Harry Potter transported us to universes where we became demigods and wizards, fighting for the future of humanity. The imaginations of the authors inspired our thoughts to run wild. And, of course, when the film version came out, we would have fierce arguments about which was more entertaining. I honestly can’t remember a time when everyone agreed that the movie won. Most times it was the book.

Sometimes, I preferred to explore worlds that I discovered myself by searching for scarcely read novels lost on the shelf. This way, the characters and I could go on our adventures uninterrupted and uninfluenced by others. In these worlds, I could be a knight like King Arthur or a simple mouse like Despereaux, happy either way. There were many nights when I would struggle to keep my eyes open just so I could read the thrilling ending of the latest exploit.

Although these weren’t always the most educational texts, they broadened my knowledge, improved communication, and fueled my imagination. Moreover, the foundations for reading more complex literature had been laid. A fire had been lit.

Middle school and high school killed that fire. Like many of my peers, I prioritized homework and sports over my leisure reading. The books that we did read in school came with strict deadlines and intensive written projects. What had once been fun was now a chore, so I skimmed just enough to fill out my assignment and pass the test. I guiltily admit that SparkNotes and Shmoop became frequently visited bookmarks. Sorry Mrs. Callaghan. I would fume for having to read 100 pages in a single night on top of my other work (mostly due to my own procrastination).

It’s safe to say that I lost my love of reading for a few years. Even when we were reading books that I liked, I had to rush through it so that I could make time for my other commitments. There were many late nights when I would pace around my study with book in hand so that I didn’t inadvertently fall asleep before finishing.

Senior year of high school finally chased away my growing distaste for reading. Mrs. Podvesker taught my AP Literature class and she introduced themes in a way I had never before considered. I finally understood how a casual conversation or a wary look could be representative of something so much larger once penned. My friends and I would debate the meaning of specific passages, drawing from personal experiences to make our case. When we inevitably reached an impasse, we would go to the teacher for the final judgement, but her answer always upheld the validity of every interpretation at once. As someone who always loved the exactness of mathematics, it took a while to appreciate this open-ended nature. After the chaos of college applications had ended midway through the year, I had time to enjoy books from school and even pick up a few for my own pleasure.

I came across a relevant quote a long time ago that has long slipped my memory but I will paraphrase it.

Videos consume so much of our time but it takes a few days or, at most, a couple of weeks to put one together. Good books are often the culmination of years of someone’s life work.

Now in college, I know few people who read assigned texts in their entirety. Few people who make the time to read the book before watching the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Few people who find any enjoyment in picking up a book at all. And honestly they aren’t to be held in any fault of their own. Videos are easily digestible and readily available.

Certainly I don’t have nearly as much time as I would like to devote to reading, but it is still a meaningful part of my weekly routine. I always carry a book or two in my bag which have come in handy when I have a break in between classes. I’m not the fastest reader - pretty average actually - and I don’t have the greatest literary insight, but I enjoy the kernels of wisdom or themes that I unpack in a novel. I have a personal rule to read from multiple different genres before repeating. I have found that it motivates me to read more and I learn a lot about very different topics. You can check out my Goodreads list if you interested in seeing what I am currently reading.