As an English major, the majority of my homework is reading. Whether it is 30-page theoretical articles from JSTOR or selections from The Canterbury Tales, the work is tedious and consistently time-consuming. While I chose to major in English because of my love of reading and interest in the literary world, I often find that my desire to read outside the classroom takes a backseat to the constant essays and presentations. Balancing both is undoubtedly challenging for a college student, but in my experience, is very necessary.Â
At the end of summer, I wrote a list of habits I wanted to implement for this coming school year, one of the main ones being to make time each day for reading. Though I can usually finish a book in a few days during the summer, I have only finished one since being back at school. I set the goal to read for 20 minutes a day, a relatively low commitment in order to ensure I keep reading as an outlet and not a burden. And although my pace is much slower, I’ve found this plan to be extremely fulfilling. I draw so much inspiration from the books I read, and keeping a consistent engagement with my interests helps me to feel like my life in college has some sort of balance.Â
 It’s also fun! Whether I crack open my book with a coffee in hand twenty minutes before my class, or take the last few minutes before I go to bed to read another few pages, reading is an activity that creates an environment— an escape to another world or a reflection of my own.