Remember having to complete summer reading in grade school; where teachers would ruin summer break by assigning a book report due immediately when school started? Maybe you have fonder memories of summer reading like doing a summer reading program at your local library where you would get stickers and prizes based on how many books you read.
Whatever the case, everyone has had to pick up a book during the summer months for one reason or another. Personally, I loved summer reading; I could read however many of whatever books I wanted. Now as an English major, I have to work my way through a lot of required reading that doesn’t necessarily interest me and often leaves me too burned out to read for pleasure.
Working through burnout can be a challenge in itself, let alone trying to find the time to read for pleasure during a busy college schedule. This makes summer the perfect time to start a new habit, like reading, for fun.
In an Upstream Prevention article, “3 Unexpected Benefits of Reading for Pleasure as an Adult”, Assistant Director of the Johnson County Public Library, Sarah Taylor, explains that reading for fun is major destressing activity.
Reading for fun means an opportunity to spend time with yourself and unwind. Taking time for yourself, especially during a busy schedule, is super important for avoiding burnout.
There are lots of ways to make summer reading an achievable goal. Listening to audiobooks is a great way to engage with new and interesting books wherever you are. If that doesn’t work for you, and you’d rather have a physical book in your hands, start out with a shorter read like a poetry collection, short story compilation, or novella. Starting out with a huge novel or particularly difficult read might burn you out all over again after a semester of similar texts.
Mixing up genres is another great way to engage with a wide range of content while keeping things interesting and exploring new themes. If you know you enjoy reading young adult fiction, you can try any number of sci-fi, horror, or romance novels out there; but if you’re unsure of what to read next, try them all.
If you’re really stuck on where to start, here are some book recommendations to help you out.
If you’re looking for the perfect beach read, try Beach Read by Emily Henry. Augustus is a literary fiction writer while January is a romance writer. As they are suffering writer’s block in neighboring beach houses, they strike a deal to swap genres, bust out of their funks, and totally not fall in love.
If you’re looking for a perfect romance, try One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. August is 23 and trying to prove that going through life alone is the only way to live, so naturally she moves to New York City, works at a 24-hour diner, moves in with three roommates, and meets a beautiful girl on the train. When said mysterious, hot train girl hides a deep, dark secret, August must be the one to get to the bottom of it.
If you want to try out nonfiction, try Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center by bell hooks. This book examines the core issues of feminism and how intersectionality can be introduced in a better way, simultaneously discussing sexual politics and arguing that for feminism to be inclusive to all women- especially those living at the margins of society- everyone needs to be considered.
Taking a break sometimes is important to avoid getting so stressed that you burn out or panic. Reading is something that unfortunately gets placed on the back burner because it feels like work, but learning how to relax while being productive for yourself- and not a deadline- can be the most rewarding form of fun.