My relationship with reading has been on an interesting journey throughout my life. I was immediately drawn to reading as a child, as I began reading at a very young age. For most of elementary school, I read consistently every single day for my pleasure. I never viewed reading as a task, which created a sense of freedom and a lack of pressure in my reading routine. This liberating feeling had a major shift around the beginning of high school. I stopped reading because I felt like I was too busy to have free time for novels and fantasy worlds. Like many other teenagers, my only source of reading came from the books that we read in high school classes.
This pattern took a sharp turn, though, as I went off to college. I began to read for my pleasure, which even led to me changing my major to English. Now, I love to read, but I still find it difficult to prioritize it over some of my other hobbies.
I’ve noticed my friends’ enchantment with reading took a similar path. They loved to read as a child, and then had this passion stripped from them as they got older. Although the content found in books changes frequently as you get older, it still does not make complete sense why so many young people have such a hatred for reading.
One of the potential causes for this shifting attitude towards reading for fun could be the widespread popularity of smartphones. Most teenagers or young adults nowadays have grown up in a society where they have access to smartphones and have witnessed the growth of social media. Now, many teenagers find that they struggle to pay attention to activities for a long period, which is most likely due to the rapid dissemination of information through smartphones. Many students find their increased social media presence has an impact on their conversational skills, as well. This issue leads to some individuals finding discomfort in activities not centered around technology.
A concerning study conducted by Common Sense Media found very few kids read for fun. Reading has become something directly connected to school, which means that it feels like a duty rather than a fun thing to do in your free time. Many students are bored by the traditional books read in a classroom environment, which then makes them want to avoid the exploration of other genres or authors. Not every individual enjoys reading the classic type of literature often analyzed in English classes, so they might feel alienated from the material and reading in general.
Because reading is such a large part of our education system, it begins to feel like something only meant for schooltime. It can be hard to separate reading from its educational ties. Once reading is thought of as a homework activity, it’s difficult to reverse that connection. Beginning in elementary school, many students are required to read whenever they have free time or as a part of their school day. Although I loved to participate in the Read-a-Thon and buy books from the book fair, many students grew to hate how reading felt like it was forced onto them by the educational system.
Another reason for this issue could a result of the increased pressure for students to become involved in STEM careers. The lack of respect placed on students studying the humanities makes these fields seem much less valuable to young students. The New Yorker even reported that at least fifteen states offer students incentives for studying for a STEM degree. Therefore, many students feel like subjects such as math or science are more important or worth their time.
Even as students get older and want to get back into reading, they struggle to find the time or motivation. Many of my friends at UF want to read as they used to when they were children, but they feel like they are too busy with schoolwork to even have the time to read. Reading can be a very time-consuming activity, especially because everyone reads at their own pace.
Shockingly, a study from The Nation’s Report Card found that only around 37% of students can read at a proficient level by the time they graduate from high school. If students are not strong readers, they are much more likely to be less confident in their ability to read on their own time. Many people are slower readers, which is sometimes not recognized by schools. The pressure of timed standardized testing forces students to view reading as a race and not something to be used for entertainment.
If you feel like you have lost your relationship with reading, you are not alone! Luckily, there are many easy ways to get back into the habit of reading. For me, I went to the book store and tried to find books that I thought sounded appealing, no matter what other people had told me. Reading should be something that you do for yourself, so it is important to find something to read that you have an interest in. This will allow you to learn about what you are passionate about, rather than just reading the books you have to read for school. Try to read a little bit every day, even if this is only for fifteen minutes. The more you practice consistent reading, the more natural and normal it will feel. Sometimes, I will leave my pesky smartphone in a different room if I am struggling to focus, which helps to force me to get into the flow of reading. Once you find out what and how you like to read, it can be an extremely rewarding hobby!