Reading is such a vital part of strengthening one’s brain. Whether that be an assigned reading for a class, reading a book for pleasure, or even reading an article online. You might be asking yourself, “Why should I care? I don’t enjoy reading,” which is an understandable thought, but in this day and age, it is so important to read even a few pages a day.
The U.S. literacy rates have been decreasing year by year. In 2024, the National Literacy Institute found that 21 percent of adults were illiterate, and 54 percent of adults could not read above a sixth-grade level. Beyond that, think about any comment section that you have seen on social media recently. You can probably remember at least one or two examples of grammatical errors made or misspelled words. Regardless of whether or not these types of mistakes bother you, it is still an incredibly concerning norm that has been created. If we are not always thinking about how to correctly form a sentence or spell a word, then we begin to make mistakes in settings where it matters, like professional emails, for example.
How can this be prevented? By reading! There is a book out there for everyone! Romance, mystery, fantasy, horror, and historical are just a few examples of the many different types of genres. Along with that, the number of pages you read can vary depending on whether you are reading a short story or a thick novel! If you don’t want to go to the bookstore and buy a physical copy, there are digital copies you can purchase as well. The possibilities are endless, all you need to do is find the right book for you! Reading textbooks required in classes counts too, so don’t worry if you do not have time to read a personal book.
There are multiple benefits to reading. It can improve your memory, mental health, and sleep schedule, and has even been found to prolong your life. So, why don’t more people read? I interviewed twenty college-level students, and this is what I found: 20 percent of those I interviewed read all the time, 45 percent claim that they read sometimes, 25 percent said that they do not read often, and only 10 percent stated that they rarely read. It is interesting to note that when the interviewees answered that they rarely read, they appeared embarrassed, even though I reassured them that I would not judge them based on their answer. Of those I interviewed, none said that they never read. Junior Caleigh Robb, who reads sometimes, added, “I read more during the summer, and it gets cut during the school year.” Freshman Jude Fegley, who reads all the time, told me, “I probably spend at least five hours a day reading for school and for personal enjoyment.”
Getting the chance to curl up with a good book during the school year is definitely a challenge, mostly due to the fact that students are so busy with their schoolwork. Despite that, they seem to be reading their textbooks for class, so that is one step closer to enjoying reading for pleasure! If you’re bored during the summer, pick up a book! It might even help you learn better during the school year. If you don’t want to commit to a novel, that’s okay! Reading something as short as an article a day can have the same benefits.