I love self-help books. I love fempowerment self-help books. If it a book claims to make you the best person, a better friend, or a real adult, I am the first person to pick it up. These kinds of books are great 1) because they make you a better person (or better at being a person) in some way or another, and 2) because they’re easy reads. Self-help books generally don’t use complicated language or have intricate plotlines, so you can easily read a couple of pages between classes or before bed without feeling totally lost the next time you pick it up. Below are some fun self-help books that every college student should read.
1. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
The cover alone is uplifting. You. Are. A. BADASS. YOU ARE AWESOME. STOP DOUBTING YOUR GREATNESS. See? The cover itself is a pep-talk. The rest of the book? Even better. This one is great for whenever you’re feeling down about not being a #girlboss (yet) or beating yourself up over one essay. Reach for this baby next time you’re upset. You won’t regret it.
2. Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse: One Twentysomething’s (Mostly Failed) Attempts at Adulthood by Alida Nugent
It’s easy for crazy-busy, over-tired college students to fall into a mindset that life really sucks. However, Alida Nugent does a great job reminding us to enjoy this, because it will only get worse. In general, college is the last time in our lives before we have to be totally and completely 100% self-sufficient. I understand the description of this book probably doesn’t make you feel any better about anything (sorry). However, Don’t Worry, It Gets Worse is laugh-out-loud funny book that makes light of the hardships of being a 20something, reminding us to enjoy our youth and exciting us for the struggle that is “adulthood.”
3. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Tina Fey is a goddess and this we cannot deny. Reading (or listening—this audiobook is amazing) Tina Fey’s narratives about the mishaps she has experienced from childhood through adulthood in Bossypants is both comforting and informative. Who better to tell us how to deal with stress dreams and college dating than her?
4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling
Like Bossypants, Mindy Kaling’s Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is great because Mindy is an uber successful woman who is validating our concerns. She proves that we can have bowl-cuts as children and still kick butt when we’re older.
5. Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown
Being an adult sounds scary and at this point in our lives, adulting might feel impossible. Luckily, Kelly Williams Brown created a nice little guide to being an adult person in her handy little life handbook Adulting. Whether you’re trying to deal with a nasty co-worker, cook a chicken, or wash a bathtub, Adulting will be there to guide you through your journey.
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There’s no doubt that 1)reading for pleasure is extremely beneficial and 2)college students are often too busy for it. However, when life gets you down, sometimes a self-help book is exactly what you need to get back up. They’re (usually) entertaining, they offer great advice, and they’re a quick and easy distraction from daunting deadlines.
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Image Credit: Audrey Michel, Amanda Rose Blog, The Hippie Triathlete, Teabags and Books, Camille Stallings