When the summer started, I came up with a list of things I wanted to do. I thought two of them would be pretty easy, binge-watching new shows on Netflix and reading some classics, which I didn't have time for in high school. Summer was going to be my chance to finally rediscover my love for reading. Though it feels like a while ago, there was a time when my parents would literally have to take a book out of my hand so I could eat a meal or finish my homework. I'd spend hours just waiting to get to the climax when it would feel like I had only read a couple of pages.

Somewhere in between then and now, reading a book with the same vigor and stamina became increasingly difficult. Of course, I love a good story as much as the next person, but I forgot that it actually takes quite a bit of patience and appreciation to finish one. With sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc, watching the newest shows and movies became so much easier. We no longer have to wait a week to anticipate the next episode. Instead, the wait time lasts mere seconds, and somehow it becomes impossible to get ourselves off of the couch before the timer ends.

Streaming provides the appeal of instant gratification which books cannot give. It's like texting versus sending a handwritten letter. Why use one when the other takes less time, effort, and wording? It's unfortunate that when given choices like these, we end up taking the easy way out. Though that doesn't mean I've given up my goal of wanting to read a certain set of books, I have come to realize a truth which I did not want to face before. Hopefully, before the summer comes to an end, I want to rediscover the passion I once had and feel the fulfillment of flipping through pages rather than clicking through episodes.