I love to read—I always have. My dream vacation is to lie on a beach or curl up in a cabin and read all day. When I was a child, I read while walking to school. Looking back, it’s ridiculous—I once ran into a lamppost because I was so absorbed in a book. But I also think that it is really sweet.
I’d like to think I read more than the average person, but I found it difficult to balance reading for pleasure after coming to university. During my first few semesters, I hardly read at all, then tried to fit in as many books as I could during the breaks. In 2024, I made a resolution to change this, to find time during the term to read books for my own enjoyment. I wanted to detach from screens and carve out moments between classes or before bed to tune everything out and enjoy a book.
I set out to read 100 books. That may sound ambitious (roughly two books a week), and I knew it was an unreasonable goal, but I wanted to try anyway—a reach for the moon but land in the stars mentality. In the end, I read 75 books cover to cover. As a history student, I already read several hundred pages a week, but alas most of that consists of academic articles or book chapters, not full books. Because my assigned reading is so dense and academic, I gravitated toward fiction, especially mysteries and romance novels. While I was pleased that I managed more than a book a week, I think I can do better in my 2025 reading challenge. This year, I am prioritizing quality over quantity and have settled on a goal of 50.
Last year, I was too preoccupied with reading as much as possible. I often picked short, light-hearted books that I could read quickly, or forced myself to finish a book even if I didn’t enjoy it. I also fell into the BookTok trap, a branch of TikTok that has completely transformed the literary world, for better or worse. While it’s great that BookTok encourages people to read, it also promotes a very specific type of book and fosters a kind of mob mentality. I found myself wanting to read the latest “it” book that everyone on TikTok was reading just because it was popular. Instead, this year, I want to challenge myself to read higher quality books and even dabble into other genres, especially non-fiction, a category I very much avoid. At the end of this year, I would love to waste less time scrolling on my phone and feel a tiny bit smarter instead.
If you want to set a reading goal, I highly recommend Goodreads. It’s essentially social media for books–like Strava, but for reading. You can track your progress, rate and review books, follow friends, and explore personalized recommendations. It allows you to track the books you have read or want to read, rate and review them, follow friends, post updates, and browse through the community tab. However, it was created in 2006, and its interface reflects that it’s definitely a little old-fashioned.
It’s not too late to set a 2025 challenge! Not sure where to start? Try browsing Goodreads, look up Jack Edwards on Youtube, or influencers Ruby Lyn and Eva Meloche. There are also several good options in town; check out Toppings, Bouquiniste, or Waterstones, or even stop by the library. Even better, start a book club with your friends!
At the end of the day, I think everyone should read more, but I’ll never judge what someone chooses to read. Whether it’s a classic novel or a fluffy romance, it’s always better to have your nose in a book than glued to a screen!