This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at George Mason University chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

In a world of declining literacy levels, these are some of my favorite ways to stay educated!

Literacy levels are at an all time low. Lexile levels are dropping, and with all the department cuts and restructuring, the government is making it harder and harder to pursue education more every day. This affects everyone, whether you’re actively pursuing higher education or not. Those in power are relying on us being undereducated, especially minorities and younger generations. Taking education into your own hands doesn’t have to be boring! I have a few habits I’ve been implementing into my routine to keep my mind sharp, and keep myself educated and well read:

Literacy Isn’t Only Reading: The Daily Consequences of the Decline in Literacy

New York Times Subscription

A subscription to the New York Times is FREE for college students! My NYT subscription is my favorite thing on my phone. It may seem like the news is all there is to the NYT, but truly there are so many features to use in the subscription.

Most notably is, of course, the articles. I find myself making an effort to pull up my NYT app when I feel like scrolling aimlessly on my phone. It’s one of my favorite ways to stay up to date on things I wouldn’t have otherwise known. They even have a tab where you can scroll and watch mini video articles like you would scroll on Instagram Reels or TikTok.

On the NYT app is also their podcast page. They have shows on everything, but my favorites are The Daily, The Opinions and Popcast. As a student who commutes about an hour to school I usually listen to The Daily on my drive. Popcast is also a great show if you enjoy interviews with artists and musicians.

Last, but certainly not least, on the NYT subscription is, of course, NYT games! I log into my daily Wordle and Crossword every day. As silly as it sounds, games like the ones on NYT are a fun little way to exercise your brain muscles. They also have an extension to NYT games called Crossplay, where you can connect with friends to play a game similar to Scrabble. I’ve gotten a few of my friends on it and it’s honestly super fun!

Vocabulary

Another app I really enjoy is an app called Vocabulary. It’s an app where you can learn new words and practice expanding your vocabulary. They have a paid premium version where you can learn your stats, put words into collections, etc. I just use the free version which gives you daily new words to learn and practice using. It also sends notifications on your phone with new words as often as you choose. Since I’ve started using it consistently, I’ve noticed a great expansion in my vocabulary. I try to challenge myself to use at least one new word a day in conversation or writing.

Reading if you’re not already a reader:

I am of the firm belief that everyone should be reading. Whether you’re an avid reader or not, reading is the best way to stay literate. Finding what you like to read can be difficult, but I think the easiest first step is to have an open mind and not worry about what you think reading has to be.

For example, if you’re someone who doesn’t like fiction or stories, read something in the field you’re already interested in. My older brother does not like reading fiction because he says he can’t imagine the story in his head. This makes total sense, but because he does love science, I’ve gotten him to buy a couple of nonfiction books from scientists and astronomers which he’s been slowly getting into.

I’d also recommend watching Youtube or even TikTok videos from readers and getting some book recommendations. I promise a book that you’d enjoy exists in the world, it’s all about knowing where to look. You can just search up the kind of book you’re looking for, and a blog, Youtube video or TikTok will show you some recommendations.

Starting slow helps too! Don’t think you have to start reading classics straight out the gate. Goal yourself at a specific amount of time to read a week and use that to get over the pressure of having to finish a certain amount of books. 20 minutes a day is a great starting goal. Making it a habit will help reading get easier and way more enjoyable. Audio books are a great option too! Consuming literature in any way you can is so necessary for literacy, but it should also be enjoyable and fun!

Finding Time to Read (for fun) in College

Reading if you are already a reader:

As an avid reader myself, I still have a few things that I’m intentional about when I read that help keep me reading critically.

I try to make sure I have 3 books I’m reading at once; one fiction, one nonfiction and one “classic” or poetry. My fiction book is typically for entertainment, or whatever book I have next on my TBR. It can be any fiction you enjoy reading; romance, fantasy, sci-fi, literary, etc. Any book that will keep you excited about reading, or any book that you would typically be reading. My nonfiction book can be anything from memoir to essays where I feel I’m learning something. Even if you’re not typically a nonfiction reader, nonfiction is so important to learning especially when it comes in all sorts of subgenres. Nonfiction can be really entertaining and exciting, it’s not always as boring or academic as you may think it is. Lastly, in my lineup, is a classic or a poetry book. This last book is mainly to expand my genres, and to keep myself literate in the classics of the book world. Poetry specifically is a great way to read critically that keeps you thinking about and interpreting text. I’m currently making my way through the Penguin Little Black Classics set which includes a bit of both classics and poetry.

Here’s my current lineup if you need some inspo:

My fiction book: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

My nonfictions book: The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green

My classic/poetry book: As kingfishers catch fire by Gerard Manley Hopkins

Another way I like to stay literate as someone who already reads is to write about what I’m reading or how I’m interpreting it. This could be anything from annotating and writing in the margins of my book, or keeping a journal and writing about what I’m reading. Writing things down helps me to process what I just read, especially when I’m reading something that is more challenging, thought provoking or complex. It also helps me keep track of what I’m reading, and more often than not, it helps me look back on other things going on in my life. Having a journal is such a great way to follow the trail of thoughts I constantly have in my head, and a lot of times I have those when I’m reading too.

Your College Classes!

This might seem a little obvious, but something I realized after my first year of college is just how valuable college was. My first year of college, I tried to coast through my electives and just focused on passing them, eager to get to my classes for my major. Truthfully though, even if a class has nothing to do with your major, a class is an opportunity to learn something. Sure, passing is important, but if you’re working to pass anyways, why not make the best of it and learn as much as you can?

Being surrounded by so many opportunities to stay educated is such a great privilege. It’s our responsibility to learn as much as we can and to take advantage of all those opportunities. I hope some of my suggestions help on your journey to staying educated. <3

Literacy is in!

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