When I stepped foot back in Columbia after winter break, one of the first things I did was get a library card.
I’d been meaning to do so for so long—Yay for supporting local libraries!—and as a graduating senior, I figured now was as good of a time as any. As a kid, I was one of those “12th grade reading level” students, devouring books like a tiny madwoman. Barnes & Noble and my Kindle Fire were basically my second homes. But when I got to college, that appetite just disappeared. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d picked up a book for fun, but I was so excited to tap back into my long-lost love of reading.
Only, I didn’t.
I started off strong. I read for at least an hour every night, getting lost in the pages. But then, the unimaginable happened: the semester began. School ramped up (I’m a proud J-schooler with an emphasis in reporting and writing), then work (writing, freelancing, you get the gist), and suddenly, my books were due—but I’d barely made a dent in the first one.
And you know what? That felt really, really sh*tty. Call it a bruise to the ego; a knock to the pride, if you will.
As I made my walk of shame out of the Columbia Public Library, it hit me. I consume so much media and content for business that the idea of doing the same thing for pleasure just feels exhausting. No wonder I felt guilty—as a journalist, I’d grown so used to asking my editors for a word count that I guess I’d never thought to ask myself the same.
I remember thinking, “There’s no way everyone in the J-school feels this way, right? Like, I’ve got to be mismanaging my time or something. Surely I’M the problem.”
Then, I started asking around.
Kasey, true crime/thrillers
Content exhaustion, or content fatigue, happens when someone feels mentally drained from consuming too much content, especially on the same topic or across multiple platforms. This can make it harder to absorb or engage with new information, and it is a concept that reporting and writing emphasis Kasey Dunnavant is all-too-familiar with.
“I feel like it’s something I have to grapple with every single day,” Dunnavant said. “I feel surrounded by news media, the majority of which is negative, constantly. It just starts to become very overwhelming.”
Feeling overwhelmed and overworked makes it difficult to focus and manage attention effectively.
In Dunnavant’s mind, attention is like currency, and as a student journalist, she finds it even harder to decide where best to invest it.
“I struggle to read for pleasure whenever I’m spending hours of each day engaging with either the news or reading required material for courses,” Dunnavant said. “Whenever I’m done consuming that necessary material, I feel like my brain wants more of a mindless task to do in the background, rather than continuing to read in my free time.”
The “double-edged sword” of modern journalism’s constant connectivity is a key factor in diminishing attention spans, Dunnavant says. On one hand, we as journalists always know what is happening in the world around us. On the other hand, we are just so, so tired.
Because of this, Dunnavant only manages to read one or two books recreationally each year, though she wishes she could read more—especially when considering the professional perks.
“I think almost every journalism professor I’ve had has instilled in me that one of the only ways to truly become a better writer is to be a better reader, and I just think there’s a lot we can learn from other authors, even if they are writing fiction,” Dunnavant said. “I think it’s super important to hold on to your own voice, but also allow that voice to be shaped by people you admire.”
“You know, there’s a reason that your favorite writer has a favorite writer,” she added.
Kalyn, “cliche” romance/sci-fi/mystery
Kalyn Laire, who has an emphasis in social media and audience strategy, considered herself a bookworm growing up. She would spend hours poring over book after book after book.
Nowadays, though, she spends much of her time pouring through stories to post on social media for Vox Magazine and KOMU.
“I feel guilty that I don’t read as much as I used to,” Laire said. “I feel like, when I’m not making time to read outside of work, I’m not prioritizing something that I’ve always loved.”
With her role so intertwined with social media, Laire addressed the common misconception that she handles ‘less journalism’ than other career specialties. In reality, she faces the same content exhaustion plaguing the rest of the field.
“You wouldn’t think that, in this job, you’d get tired of reading,” Laire said. “You look at stories, you make content, you promote the content, things of that nature. But, like, I still get tired of looking at the news, and it’s a weird feeling to be tired of seeing it.”
When her day is done, Laire enjoys shutting down both her laptop and her mind, throwing on a “mindless” TV or podcast episode.
“I don’t want to put too much thought into what I’m doing because I’ve (already) overworked my brain,” Laire explained. “I think it just happens because I read so much all day, you know, so trying to come outside of work and find enjoyment doing the exact thing, it just feels like a lot of the same.”
It’s rewarding, but it’s also repetitive, demanding and even tedious, at times.
“Journalism as a whole today, there’s not really off hours,” Laire said.
Aiyana, fantasy/romance/tuberculosis (?)
Aiyana Massie, whose emphasis is in documentary journalism, is a self-described John Green fanatic.
So, when Green became obsessed with tuberculosis, so did Massie.
“When the tuberculosis outbreak happened in Kansas, it was really interesting,” Massie said. “I’m about to start reading the Phantom Plague by Vidya Krishnan, and it’s a book about how tuberculosis shaped history. That’s an example of something in real life that happens, and I’m able to blend that in with my love and enjoyment of reading, but I’m also not having to directly process the horribleness that’s going on in the world.”
Massie, too, does not read as many books as she would like. For her, though, the number varies based on the level of interest (or obsession) she has in what she’s reading.
Reading, Massie said, is essential within her work.
“I think the number one thing that I don’t think is talked about enough in journalism is the fact that you have to have not just a curiosity, but an imagination,” Massie said. “I think that that’s where reading comes into play, because reading is just, like, 101 for fueling imagination and fueling curiosity.”
Although her hyperfixations help counteract content exhaustion, Massie acknowledges that modern journalism often caters to shortened attention spans. This, in turn, makes it harder to hold a reader’s attention with long-form pieces—whether they be works of journalism or fictional books.
As a result, people may struggle to engage with stories they would have otherwise enjoyed, much like Massie does with Green.
“I think that the nature of modern media as a whole makes it hard to engage with long form reading for anybody,” Massie said.
Jocelyn, historical fiction/Ray Bradbury-type dystopias
Jocelyn Peshia, a broadcast emphasis, read 51 total books last year.
Having read only four of her 40-book goal this year, Peshia worries she is “falling behind.”
“My issue is that, during the week, I have plenty of reading for class and general keeping up on news for work along with late-night reporting shifts, so I typically only get to read on the weekends,” Peshia said. “I would prefer to read before bed most every night, but I usually can’t stand to look at more words and do more active thinking by the time my head hits the pillow.”
Peshia tends to feel “healthier” when she can find a balance between recreational reading and her journalistic endeavors. With that, she noted that doing so can be difficult, especially while simultaneously consuming so much fact-based material.
“I have a strong urge to read fiction, but I would say my brain feels that I must perform so much analysis and synthesis to connect themes and ideas amongst political news that I don’t have time or energy to use that same level of analysis for more entertaining, engaging fiction by the end of the day,” Peshia said. “That, or plain laziness, since the mindless stream of tweets is just pulling at my dopamine receptors.”
With the bite-sized focus of modern journalism and social media-based publications and posts, it is harder for readers to adapt to taking the time to “get deep with characters and plots,” Peshia said.
“This isn’t a new take by any means, but ever since we really fell into the 24-hour-news-cycle, we fell off as a society,” Peshia said. “Our priorities changed and leisure is not celebrated as much as it should be prioritized.”
So, journalists reading? For fun? What about it?
Reading for fun enhances journalists’ writing, listening and critical thinking skills by exposing them to diverse perspectives, storytelling techniques and communication styles. It also fosters creativity, expands vocabulary and improves their ability to analyze, pitch and craft compelling narratives.
So like, yeah, reading for fun is a pretty big deal, but how can journalists achieve this without experiencing content fatigue or struggling with their attention spans?
Laire suggests audiobooks, which, for her, makes the task of reading “feel more possible.”
“Even though I feel like I’m cheating a little bit, it’s fun that I’ve been able to do that as an adult when I may not have time to sit down with a physical book,” Laire said.
Massie recommends trying to read books with drastically different topics, testing out extremes because “you’ll probably find something in the middle that works perfect for you.”
Dunnavant, alternatively, implores student journalists to read with intention, setting aside specific times and going to non-work-related locations to engage in recreational reading.
“I’ll take my book to the gym and I’ll walk on the treadmill while I read, I’ll go outside and I’ll read,” Dunnavant said. “Go to a coffee shop, maybe bring a friend, and sit down and read. Do other things other than just the reading that will make it enjoyable, and I think the joy derived from the reading itself will follow.”
Personally, I make a point to remind myself that reading should be something I enjoy, not something I feel obligated to enjoy. Doing life (whether as a journalist or not) is challenging, and we all deserve to give ourselves grace.
It’s a tough but necessary reminder, I fear.
As Peshia so eloquently said: “I think the important thing is NOT making reading another task to complete; instead, reading when it feels natural and not beating yourself up is important. It’s a privilege to read! Celebrate that!”