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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Wilfrid Laurier chapter.

As someone who spends a lot of their free time reading, it’s hard for me to remember a time when it wasn’t my favourite hobby. When Covid happened, I, like many others, began reading because I was intrigued by BookTok, and honestly, I had nothing better to do at the time. I started off slowly and only bought books from thrift stores because they were far less expensive than the average Indigo paperback. I also didn’t want to waste my money because I wasn’t sure if I would commit to reading. Little did I know that years later, I would own nearly 200 books and have spent more money than I would like to admit on paper. Still, I have no regrets because I have enjoyed experiencing multiple different lives through the stories I have read and visions I’ve created in my head. 

I know lots of people struggle with picking up a book and dedicating time to reading it, but I figured that with the new year, lots of people have ‘reading more’ as one of their resolutions, I know I do. I am adamant that those who say reading is boring just haven’t read the right book yet. There are so many different genres to explore and so many tropes to keep you hooked! Here’s what helped me get into reading. 

When finding a book to start your reading journey with, find yourself a fast-paced, standalone book, don’t commit yourself to a whole series just yet. Although series can keep you hooked for the long run, they can sometimes be daunting. A whole series means lots of characters, backstories and sometimes confusing plotlines. Not great for a first pick. BookTok has many recommendations, some of which live up to the hype and some of which will leave you disappointed. If I had to recommend a couple, I would say to begin with something basic from James Patterson or John Grisham. These authors can be easily found in the thrift store. I began with these authors for my first couple of books as I hadn’t discovered BookTok yet and felt that starting with a classic would be too out of my league. These authors give a good median between easy enough to understand and follow along with but complex enough to keep you interested. 

Also, try to find a book that correlates to your movie or TV show taste. For example, I love dystopian movies such as The Hunger Games or Divergent, so I found books that had similar genres. Since a lot of people can picture a movie in their head while they read, it’s likely that they will be interested in books that resemble their favourite films.

A big tip for reading more is to implement it into your routine. For example, I like to read while I sip my tea in the morning. I also enjoy reading right before bed. This routine of mine has been longstanding and I look forward to the peaceful moments of my day when I can read a couple chapters uninterrupted. Start replacing phone or TV time with reading. Don’t consider it a replacement, but rather something you’d rather do to feel more fulfilled. Most hobbies are tied to a passion, but how do you know if you are passionate about reading until you begin? So, take these steps and see if reading is for you. 

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Kayla Banning

Wilfrid Laurier '27

Applying to be a marketing general member for Her Campus WLU!!
Kayla Banning

Wilfrid Laurier '27

Hi everyone!! My name is Kayla and I am a part of the writing team here at Her Campus WLU. I am very grateful for the opportunity to write on a big platform and speak to so many empowering women. Through my communications major I have discovered that I love media and I love to write, so Her Campus is a perfect fit for me! In my free time, I enjoy reading, listening to music, watching movies, and hanging out with my dog when I'm at home. I have a wide range of media that I like and am constantly watching or playing something. My all time favourite artist would have to be Lana Del Rey and a very close second are the Arctic Monkeys or Mitski. A lot of my humour stems from the show New Girl and if you see me I'll probably be drinking a Dr.Pepper. Anyways, thank you for reading Her Campus and I look forward to writing to you!