It seems like everyone and their mother are reading these days. From the ever-present #Booktok to your friends talking about the new Colleen Hoover book, more and more people are picking up a book for fun for the first time in a while. If this trend inspires you, here are some tips to get you reinspired.
1. Find Your Genre!
This is a part of the process where you look into yourself. Do you see yourself enjoying an autobiography or a thriller that keeps you on your toes? It is excellent to read various genres to find the ones that interest you! I recommend alternating the genre of the book when reading to keep you on your toes. One great way to judge your tastes is to find what television genre you enjoy the most.
2. Join a Book club.
Find a book club on campus! Many different organizations like Greek life have a book club within your chapter. You can also start your own to meet people or have a monthly activity with friends. It will help introduce you to new genres and authors and motivate you to finish the book before the discussion.
3. Join Goodreads!
Goodreads is a popular app that allows you to put books on virtual shelves, where you can choose books, you want to read and are currently reading. You can also look at other people’s ratings of the book that you are thinking of reading. There is also a social media component where you can look to see what your friends are reading. This is a great way to track all the books you want to read and your friend’s reading choices can inspire you.
4. Set a Reading Goal
It is important to remember that you are reading for fun and not for a class. However, making a monthly or yearly goal for the number of books you want to read that year is an excellent idea. You can make the goal on Goodreads (look above!), post it on social media or tell your friends your plan. It is a great way to get reading if you are goal-orientated or competitive.
5. Stop If the Book Isn’t For You
We have all been there: slowly reading a book recommended a million times and not loving it! It is okay to put the book down and choose another. You can return to it when you have the time/motivation. It is just essential to know what books are not for you! It will help you in the long run, as you will be more inclined to read a book you want to read.
6. Bookstore Dates
In my hometown, one of my favorite activities is to go to Barnes and Noble with my friends and grab a cup of coffee and a good book. It is a great weekend activity, as you can spend hours browsing the bookstore. I usually go into the store with ideas of what books I want to purchase but it will be just as fun walking in blind. Also, you can take some cute pictures browsing the shelves. Also, I highly suggest looking into local bookstores, like Fat Cat Books, where you can look at all their adorable cats!
7. Have Fun with It!
You are not reading for a class, so you have to enjoy the process. Don’t force yourself to read. I want it because I am not staring at a screen at night and love escaping through books.
My FIve Favorite Books To Get You Started:
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Read
Book Lovers by Emily Henry
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Know My Name by Chanel Miller (trigger warning for sexual assault)
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