I’ve self-identified as a reader since age 5. My parents tell tales of me picking up picture books before I could even speak and talking gibberish at the pages. I spend hours watching BookTube videos, my most used app is Goodreads, and my friends come to me first for book recommendations. Books are core to my being. So you can imagine that my four month long book slump has taken a bit of a toll on my literary ego. That’s right, I haven’t been able to finish a book for pleasure since JUNE.
Part of my dilemma is what every college student’s free-time dilemma is: school. I read constantly for classes and spend most of my energy reading incredibly intentionally for classes. While I have finished quite a few full-length books for class, I have lost the joy for reading that I once had. It feels so much easier to scroll on my phone or watch a little show at the end of the night than it does to pick up another book. However, I know that my life will feel much more enriched as soon as I return to my passion. Here are the ways I am working to get out of the slump of the century.
Consuming book related media.
Because I tend to pick up my phone at the end of the night, I have flooded my social media feeds with book related content. Seeing other people read and discuss books often makes me feel like I’m missing out on reading. The feeling of longing for a book is the first step towards picking one up. In addition to triggering this feeling, I’ve also found amazing recommendations for my next trip to the bookstore or library. My favorite creators are Noelle Gallagher and Paperback Dreams.
Reading along with an audiobook.
Getting back into reading can be hard because it forces you to get refocused when all your mind wants to do is relax. I’ve found that having someone read to me while I’m following along with the words is a great hack for both pleasure and professional reading. It keeps you moving along with the book and helps your mind center around the book rather than trying to distract you from the text. I love audiobooks for a number of reasons, but helping me settle into reading again is definitely how they earned their special place in my heart.
KEEPING IT LIGHT.
I never try to jump back into reading with something hard hitting or particularly thought provoking. I love romance novels, celebrity memoirs, or books that inspired a movie I’ve already seen. These are really simple ways to engage your mind with words again because of these genres’ light weight and happy nature. You don’t have to read something that society thinks of as “impressive” in order to be a reader, you just have to have enjoyed the experience of reading. Pick something you know you’ll love.
BUDDY READING.
Sometimes it feels like I can only get stuff done when I am being held accountable by an outside force. Buddy reading is a way to apply that pressure to my favorite hobby. Like joining a book club but maybe with less suburban moms, buddy reading with one or more friends is a great way to find new books, have an outlet for discussion, and connect with reading on a social level! Try buddy reading with friends close by or as a way to stay in touch with long-distance pals.
NO GOALS OR EXPECTATIONS.
I try my best to avoid setting expectations for myself surrounding reading. The off-putting message that I am 10 books behind schedule on my yearly reading goal has only served to further deter me from jumping back in. I don’t like having a number of books I try to read per month, week, or year. I stick to genres I know I love. I try my best not to push myself when I’m in the process of easing back in. Work to make reading fun and light, not anxiety-ridden or stressful. Hobbies are not the space for self-expectations.
Reading slumps are no joke and I often feel distant from myself when I’m not lost in books. I’ve decided to use these methods to reconnect with literature, and further, myself. While I have geared my advice towards reading, I feel it could be applied to any hobby. Working to keep things in your life that have proved to be fulfilling will always be a worthy time investment. Whether it’s knitting, running, drawing, or reading, I hope you’re able to use these tips to bring yourself home to your hobby.