How my relationship with books evolved over the years
As a kid, I was that nerdy, book-loving girl that spent most family holidays in the corner reading a book. All my birthday and Christmas gifts were always a new book. I was rewarded with books for getting good grades at the end of the year. I would finish books with hundreds of pages in a couple of hours. I would pester my parents to bring me to the library every week, bringing home a pile of books which I would quickly devour in a heartbeat.
And then I kind of lost my love for reading. I’m not sure exactly what happened, or when it really began but I slowly grew out of it. Perhaps it was when books became homework and I had to read for classes, or when I just became too busy to sit and finish a book. I also had a goldfish memory which meant if I didn’t finish a book in one sitting, I would completely forget what happened and had to reread the whole book all over again. I still had a full bookshelf though and continued buying books, but I didn’t have the same enthusiasm for reading as I did.
If this sounds relatable to you, trust me when I say a lot of bookworms go through the exact same experience. As we grow up, we start getting busier with school, our social life and extracurricular activities. Making time for reading became something we kept putting off, and now we’re unsure about how to get back into it. However, as quarantine happened, I started to ease myself back into my hobby of reading.
One thing that evolved was my preference of the platform I used. I was a paper copy snob as a child, but now I do appreciate having an ebook to read in between classes and during commute. I know a lot of people also are fans of audiobooks, especially with how convenient they are. Audiobooks and ebooks are also a great way to save money, especially with how expensive paper copies can be.
I also started exploring different genres, especially nonfiction literature that was daunting to me when I was younger. I used to feel pressured to like reading literary classics, but I realized that wasn’t for me and that’s okay! Reading is something I want to enjoy doing, so I’ve started delving deeper into my love for mysteries and historical fiction. I’ve also started to learn that it’s alright to stop reading a book halfway if I don’t feel interested in it. Pushing through and feeling obliged to continue reading makes it feel like a chore, and we want to rekindle your love for it, not make it feel tiring and inescapable.
Another thing that has helped me rekindle my love for reading is a book subscription. I love that I get a new book every month that is hassle-free and curated by the company. I get to explore less well-known titles and up-and-coming authors, as well as different genres that I’ve always wanted to try. Some book subscription companies even offer goodies and little trinkets like candles, bookmarks and tapestries. Most of all, it’s much cheaper than buying individual paper copies of books from a bookstore, and it’s delivered right to your doorstep.
There’s just so many ways to rekindle your love for reading, and I seriously encourage everyone to try and pick up this hobby. Books not only teach you a lot about the world, but also give you an escape from reality that’s sometimes sorely needed in today’s chaos. Don’t be afraid to take the leap and get back together with your first love – books! Happy reading, friends!