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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

I absolutely love to read. I love to find new books to throw myself into or even re-read classic favorites. It’s cool to go through the Harry Potter series over five times, right? At college, it’s hard for me to find time to indulge myself in this hobby, but when I do get the chance it is like an addiction. In the first two weeks of Christmas break I read a total of four books. Okay, three of them were The Hunger Games trilogy for like the sixth time, but hey — once you start the first one, you have to finish all three! 

Image Source: David Lezcano

I think the “book-nerd” gene must run in my family. I haven’t seen my brother without a book in his hand since he could read and he’s twenty-two now. He even brings a book with him on ten-minute drives to town. I swear, every time we go to a library or bookstore we probably look like two kids in a candy store. But my brother and I aren’t the only people in my family who are avid readers. My mom, dad, and aunt love to read as well. We often share books between all of us.

Image Source: Emil Widlund

Like I said earlier, it is hard to find time for reading, so I understand when my friends or classmates use that as an excuse as to why they don’t read. More frequently, though, people have told me that they don’t like to read in general. To me that comes as a major shock. Not like reading? Is that even possible? I grew up surrounded by books. My parents were firm enforcers of the “30 minutes of TV a week and the rest is reading” rule. While that is a contributing factor to my passion for reading, I have realized why l find it so important. Literature is a truly powerful force. In my opinion, any type of literature can be powerful, from persuasive writing which helps you formulate opinions to fictional writing which stimulates creativity. Every piece of writing can be special or motivating; it just depends on how you read it.

Image Source: Laura Kapfer

Books are so powerful that they can take us to other places and help us escape and relax. I often find myself glued to a book for hours on end, loving every second of it. I guess that’s the main reason I am a “book-nerd”, and always will be.            

Lauren Wharton is a third year UC Davis student majoring in Animal Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, CrossFit, eating copious amounts of Halo Top, and spending time with her family, friends, and Shiba Inu, Mable.
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