"You're gonna have to love reading. I mean love it. Read everything you can; I'm talking reading for 15 hours a day. Read, read, read."

I stood there looking at my professor, his whole body moving about, his hands animatedly emphasizing his words. My jaw was slack, but my body was rigid because in that moment I was torn between utter excitement and overwhelming anxiety.

I had just asked him the typical question of what advice he could give me, what I should be doing to prepare for my future (hopeful) career, blah, blah, blah. With his response, he had simultaneously fulfilled my dreams (who wouldn't want to read all day for their job??) and made me realize just how much this college kid needs to get her life together.

So what did I do? (Other than have a slight mental breakdown, that is.)

Like any other sane human, I made an "Authors & Books to Read/Reread" list. Or four.

Classic Novels

1. "1984"

2. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"

3. "Animal Farm"

4. "Anna Karenina"

5. "The Book Thief"

6. "Brave New World"

7. "Catch-22"

8. "The Catcher in the Rye"

9. "The Color Purple"

10. "Emma"

11. "Fahrenheit 451"

12. "The Giver"

13. "Gone with the Wind"

14. "The Grapes of Wrath"

15. "The Great Gatsby"

16. "The Handmaid’s Tale"

17. "Jane Eyre"

18. "Little Women"

19. "Persuasion"

20. "Pride and Prejudice"

21. "The Scarlet Letter"

22. "Sense and Sensibility"

23. "The Things They Carried"

24. "To Kill a Mockingbird"

25. "Wuthering Heights"

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Authors

1. David Baldacci

2. Dean Koontz

3. Gillian Flynn

4. Harlan Coben

5. James Lee Burke

6. James Patterson

7. Janet Evanovich

8. J.D. Robb

9. John Grisham

10. Lee Child

11. Mary Higgins Clark

12. Michael Connelly

13. Stephen King

Chick Lit

1. Emily Giffin

2. Helen Fielding

3. Jane Green

4. Jennifer Weiner

5. Jill Mansell

6. Lianne Moriarty

7. Marian Keyes

8. Meg Cabot

9. Melissa Hill

10. Sophie Kinsella

Humorous Autobiographies

1. "Bossypants" by Tina Fey

2. "Girl Walks into a Bar" by Rachel Dratch

3. "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

4. "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" by Jenny Lawson

5. "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl" by Issa Rae

6. "Why Not Me?" by Mindy Kaling

7. "Year of Yes" by Shonda Rhimes

8. "Yes Please" by Amy

Now, let the fun begin!