When I have free time, I often find myself flipping from one screen to the next, constantly scrolling, sometimes for hours at a time. Afterwards, I always feel like I could’ve done something else with my time, something else just as relaxing and escapist. When I was in elementary school, I filled any free time I had not with social media, but with reading. Trying to pick up a book now, however, seems so hard! Breaking the daily routine of the constant scroll with reading was difficult at first, but I found a few helpful starts that can get you back into reading.
1. Try nonfiction
I know what you think, nonfiction is just those war books your dad reads, but trust me, nonfiction can be just as exciting and attention-grabbing as your classing young adult book. With thousands of topics from biographies to true crime, you can read just about anything your heart desires. For a first step into reading nonfiction, try Neil deGrasse Tyson’s 224 page book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. It offers mind-expanding questions and answers in layman’s terms, and hence the title, it’s a quick read. Tyson’s wit makes this an easy way to understand black holes, quarks, dark matter, and more.
2. Don’t read, listen!
Finding time to read while also being a full time college student — socializing, working, studying — should be a sport. There are not enough hours in the day to sit around and read a book when there’s so much to do! Audiobooks are a great way to stay productive while also “reading” a book. Walking to class, working out, and long car rides can be entertained by Jim Dale’s reading of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. His colorful narration and eclectic voices for the characters can easily grab your attention and allow you to finish the book in no time.
3. Stick to the classics
And by the classics, I mean the books that got you into reading in the first place. Reading in elementary school and middle school seemed so easy, the books were engaging and featured compelling storylines. Young adult books, especially those of our childhoods, are still just as good as they were when you first read them. For a start, try rereading The Hunger Games. The story is gripping and relevant and might spark your love of reading again. You may even recognize some of the darker themes of the series your second go round.
Reading offers many benefits to your mental health, from stress reduction to a means of running away from everyday life. You may have not found your niche yet, but it’s never too late to start looking!