Before January leaves the Purdue campus and the even icier chill of February sets in, a couple of us may realize that the moment winter break ends that the willingness we have to devote to leisure reading suddenly goes out the window.
Likewise, a Washington Post article shows data that seems to point in 2016 that adults overall appear to be reading less since 1982. Therefore, in order to help with this possible crisis and assist those fellow Boilermakers who may want to read more but don't know where to start-- look no further with these 11 tips and tricks!
1. Keep your books nearby
Whether you live on-campus or off, pack a book into your backpack to whip out whenever you have time, or wrap your Kindle in a case to keep it safe. Be mindful of the weight, though so long as you're not trying to tackle the hardcover, definitive edition of Joyce's Ulysses, you should be good to go.2. Look for book exchanges
In resident halls like Shreve or in the Honors College, you can borrow a donated book to read at your leisure until you exchange.
3. Work it into your schedule
Whip out an ebook on your phone in-between classes or carry one in your bag to read while waiting for the sloop. There are plenty of places you can fit it in!
4. Set time aside for reading
Sometimes it takes a bit of work to pursue the things that you love, but it will be totally worth it!5. Read for the length you would watch an episode of The Office
Twenty minutes a day could really be all you need! Although to be frank, I don't believe I've ever stopped at only one Office episode.6. Read at faster speeds
Huffpost has a great article on how to boost your reading speed so you can move faster without losing the plot. Though on average, if you can get through 30 pages in 20 minutes then you're doing just
7. Keep up a Goodreads account or reading log
An account on Goodreads can be one of the best ways to connect with other avid and habitual readers, as well as connect you to other great works! The numbers you'll find on Goodreads may be overwhelming at first, which leads too8. Only read books you absolutely love in 2018
Tolstoy and Conrad can be great places to start if you want heavy reading from a long break, but if you feel just as home reading more contemporary work like Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard or Turtles All the Way Down by John Green which came out last year, then go forth, my friend!
9. Get comfy
Setting up that warm place with minimum distractions can help you read more effectively and enjoy what you're doing. Either wait until just before bed or take a throw blanket out of your room and head down into the lobby or basement of your res hall and camp out.
10. Make it social
You can have a short story sent to your email every day by clicking here! Stories by Email will send you "flash fiction" that you can read on your laptop, tablet, or phone. Alternatively, you can use the poem-a-day option via poets.org and read a poem every morning!
11. Know that you can try again
Above all, even if you falter and lose your way or assignments and responsibilities become too packed together in a 24 hour period, know that you can try again at any time with no penalty.