Content warning: This article discusses depression.   Â
During my sophomore year of high school, I read 39 books. In my junior year, it was 40, and during senior year I read a grand total of 0. Now I sit here in my freshman year of college, and I haven’t picked up a book in about two years.
I’m not really sure what happened. I used to be so in love with reading. Every week, I would read at least one book, if not multiple.
I could finish books in a day, some even in a few hours, depending on how long it was. Multiple series were finished in a month. Every second of my free time went to reading. Sometimes I would even skip school so that I could stay home and read more.
I used to relate reading to my depression, but now it gives me a peaceful and nostalgic feeling. During my sophomore and junior years, I was really depressed, and I think reading was my form of escape. Reading honestly really helped me to get through that tough time.
Instead of just doomscrolling through TikTok or Instagram reels, I was able to bring myself to a different place through the worlds in my books. As I started making more friends and going out more, I stopped reading as much.
I didn’t have the time to read anymore; all I wanted to do was hang out with my friends and go on more dumb adventures with them. I kind of forgot about it. I would occasionally look at the book on my nightstand before going to bed and would choose to FaceTime my friends instead.
I was over my reading phase and had new things that filled up my time. But I couldn’t help but miss those alternate worlds that I was so familiar with.
In college, I feel like I am starting to revert to my old ways. Although I have a lot more to do here, I still find myself doomscrolling, taking more naps, and just feeling constantly tired. I feel like falling back into my reading era might be a good thing for me.
I went home over the weekend for my cousin’s wedding, and I found myself coming back with five books from one of my favorite series, The Remnant Chronicles by Mary E. Pearson.
I am already so excited to get back into reading, maybe not as much as I once was, but just a little bit to help me get through the cold months coming up ahead. Curling up with a good book always has and always will help me get through the rough times.