When I was a kid, I absolutely loved to read. I read during any spare time I had and looked forward to it all day. The Magic Treehouse series, Harry Potter, and Judy Blume books were some of my favorites. As I got older and busier, I stopped finding the time to read and blamed it on already having plenty to read for my schoolwork.
Last summer, I rediscovered my love for books. Reading is the perfect way for me to unplug, unwind, and escape. It has become a part of my daily routine again and I couldn’t be more glad, especially in light of the social distancing being encouraged as a result of the spread of coronavirus. It’s a hobby that I don’t need any skills for, which makes it feel comforting and pressure-free. If I really just don’t have time at the moment, that’s totally okay and I can always come back to whatever I was reading when I’m ready.
One of the best ways that I encourage myself to read and keep myself accountable is by using Goodreads. It’s a social network for readers, where you can keep track of books you want to read or are reading and rate them when you finish. I love seeing what other people I know have to say about what they’re reading and it ensures that I always have a list of titles to add to my bookshelf when I’m bored.
This newfound hobby of mine also led me to appreciate my local libraries. It’s amazing that I can keep up my reading for free. My library even has a shelf for popular, new books that can’t be reserved online so that everyone can have a chance to check out the latest bestseller without waiting for months to get off the waitlist. They are truly such a great resource, not to mention great places to spend time and be productive.
Finally, I can now say I understand the age-old tradition of the book club. My mom would occasionally host her book club at our house when I was growing up, but I never completely got the point. Today, I love the idea of bringing a group of people together to forget about whatever else is going on in their lives and the world to talk about a shared book. It’s also surprisingly interesting to hear friends’ varying takeaways from the same experience. One day I hope to host a book club of my own.
Reading is a super entertaining and fulfilling hobby that can be easy to forget when there are so many other activities to fill each day. I definitely recommend picking up a book when you can; you might be surprised by how much you enjoy it!